Micropropagation of Mangifera indica L. cv. Kurakkan through somatic embryogenesis

Abstract

Nucellar embryogenesis was induced in Mangifera indica L. cv. Kurakkan, a polyembryonic salt tolerant, dwarfing rootstock. Nucellus tissue excised from 3.5 cm long fruits developed pro-embryonic callus in 19 days of inoculation on modified MS medium supplemented with 4.52μM 2,4- D, 0.05% malt extract and 13.78μM spermidine. Somatic embryogenesis exhibited high frequency (158.33 embryos). However, all the differentiated embryos proliferated on medium having low level of sucrose (4% w/v) and auxin (2.26μM 2,4-D). Most of the proembryonic calli converted into heart shaped and cotyledonary embryos by reducing temperature to 15oC. Somatic embryos were matured on modified MS medium fortified with 0.38μM ABA, 0.57μM IAA and 30.30μM PEG. Matured somatic embryos germinated (around 30%) on MS medium supplemented with 2.68μM NAA, 11.60μM kinetin and 2736.9μM glutamine.