Identification of an elite sorghum genotype with high <Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> performance capacity

Summary The use of plant genetic engineering to augment plant breeding programs is significantly strengthened if novel trait(s) can be introduced directly into elite germplasm. Implementing this technology to sorghum breeding programs has been hampered by the lack of an efficient and transferable protocol that is suitable with elite genotypes. This study was conducted to identify parameters that maximize in vitro culture performance in sorghum targeting a specific elite genotype, C2-97, which possesses enhanced agronomic characteristics. Three different tissue culture media formulations, MS, N6, and M11 were evaluated. M11 medium contains approximately 16% and 85% more total nitrogen and sevenfold and threefold higher levels of potassium phosphate than MS and N6 formulations, respectively. Culture performance of C2-97 across the three media formulations was compared to sorghum genotypes that were previously reported to be amenable to genetic engineering, namely Tx430, P898012. Bwheatland, and C401. Maximum embryogenesis induction was observed on M11 medium for all genotypes tested, with greater than 70% embryogenic calluses occurring on immature embryos derived from the C2-97 genotype cultured on M11 medium.