High Frequency Multiple Shoot Regeneration from Decapitated Embryo Axes of Chickpea and Establishment of Plantlets in the Open Environment

Multiple shoot regeneration from the cut plumular ends of embryo axes of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) was evaluated on Murashige and Skoog medium having different concentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ) (0.1 to 10.0 mg dm^–3) 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.5 and 1.0 mg dm^–3), kinetin (0.5 and 1.0 mg dm^–3) or zeatin (2.0 and 4.0 mg dm^–3). TDZ (0.2 mg dm^–3) was found to be the most effective cytokinin as it produced multiple shoots in 100 % of the explants from genotypes C235, ICC5166, ICC12269, ICC4951, ICC11531, BG256 and a local cultivar. Shoots were elongated on growth regulator-free medium, and rooted on growth regulator-free medium containing 1/4 MS salts + full vitamins + 3 % sucrose. Plantlets formed were acclimatized for 12 – 15 d in MS medium with a gradual reduction in sucrose concentration and transferred into pots filled with soil and kept in the field; this resulted in more than 70 % survival. The plants developed normally and produced fertile flowers and set seeds. Low temperatures, maximum 19.0 °C, and minimum 8.2 °C, during the first 15 d of transfer favoured survival on transfer to pots.