Callus induction and high-frequency plant regeneration from hypocotyl and cotyledon explants of Arctium lappa L.

Summary This study describes a protocol for plant regeneration from cultured seedling explants of Arctium lappa. Hypocotyls and cotyledons of A. lappa were induced to form callus by culturing on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2.0mg l^−1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 0.5–2.0 mg l^−1 benzyladenine (BA). Formation of adventitious buds could be induced from calluses or explants directly by culturing on MS medium containing 1.0–2.0 mg l^−1 α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.5–2.0 mg l^−1 BA. These regenerated shoots were rooted on MS medium with 1.0 mg l^−1 indole-3-butyric acid or indole-3-acetic acid in combination with 1.0 mgl^−1 NAA. The regenerated plants acclimatized in soil were normal morphologically and in growth characters. They flowered and set seeds in the following year after acclimatization.