Plant regeneration of creeping bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash var. Stoloniferum (Nash) J. Wipff) via somatic embryogenesis

Summary Creeping bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash var. stoloniferum (Nash) J. Wipff) embryogenic callus growing on solid medium was used to establish a cell suspension culture in Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 1.5 mg l⁻¹ (6.8 μM) 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 0.2 mg l⁻¹ (0.88 μM) 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), 0.5 mg l⁻¹ (1.4 μM) zeatin, 0.2 mg l⁻¹ (0.58 μM) gibberellic acid (GA₃), and 10% (v/v) of coconut water (CW). Pro-embryos from suspension culture matured on semi-solid MS medium in about 18 wk, and were then cultured on semi-solid MS medium without growth regulators for 2–3 wk. Shoots were regenerated on MS basal medium supplemented with 3.0 mg L⁻¹ (13.6 μM) 2,4-D, 1.0 mg l⁻¹ (4.4 μM) BA, 1.0 mg l⁻¹ (2.9 μM) GA₃, 0.5 mg l⁻¹ (2.7 μM) 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 500 mg l⁻¹ easein hydrolysate, and 10% (v/v) CW. Rooted plantlets were successfully accelimatized to greenhouse and outdoor conditions. Using this protocol, it would be possible to produce at least 1300 fully acclimatized plantlets annually.