Regenerative ability of somatic single and multiple embryos from cotyledons of Korean ginseng on hormone-free medium

Cotyledon explants of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) produced somatic embryos directly on growth regulator-free medium. Somatic embryos developed as either multiple or single-state forms, depending on the degree of maturity of the cotyledons. Cotyledon explants from midmature zygotic embryos formed multiple embryos, while cotyledons from fully mature zygotic embryos formed single embryos. Somatic single embryos regenerated into normal plantlets with both roots and shoots, while multiple embryos did not produce roots but regenerated only into multiple shoots. In full-strength MS basal medium, the root growth of plantlets derived from single embryos was weak compared to that of shoots. Deletion of ammonium nitrate from the MS medium promoted the root growth of the plantlets. The ginseng plants with well-developed shoots and roots regenerated from single embryos were successfully acclimatized in a greenhouse when they were planted in soil. Received: 19 July 1997 / Revision received: 6 October 1997 / Accepted: 3 October 1997