Chemical Regulation of Callus Growth, Organogenesis, Plant Regeneration, and Somatic Embryogenesis in Antirrhinum majus Tissue and Cell Cultures

Excised stem explants of Antirrhinum majus L. var. ‘Kymosyblanc’ were grown in a denned medium to investigate factorsinfluencing bud and root development, callus induction, andsomatic embryogenesis. Auxins such as indoleacetic acid (IAA)and naphthaleneacetie acid (NAA) caused limited callus developmentand abundant root formation, whereas 2,4-dichlorophenoxyaceticacid (2,4-D) promoted soft friable callus with embryos and occasionaldevelopment of thick abnormal roots. 2-Naphthoxyacetic acid(NOA) and coconut milk (CM) used together induced friable greencallus growth and differentiation of small globular embryoswhich eventually developed into plantlets after transfer toauxin-free agar mineral medium containing sucrose. Cytokininssuch as benzyladenine (BA), zeatin, and kinetin induced compactgreen callus but in the absence of auxin failed to promote organogenesis.The interaction of IAA and kinetin resulted in the regenerationof the whole plant from stem explants. When NAA was used withkinetin, shoot development was totally inhibited and abundantroots were formed. Thus, the alternative morphogenetic eventsprobably reflect the biochemical subtleties occurring withinthe callus as a result of differences of actual endogenous levelsof growth substances in the tissues studied. These experimentshave been performed and interpreted on a histological basis.