PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC SEEDS FROM MICRO SHOOTS AND SOMATIC EMBRYOS OF GERBERA JAMESONII BOLUS EX. HOOK F.

Micro shoots of Gerbera jamesonii were obtained when petiole explants were cultured on 3.0 mg/L BAP. Meanwhile, somatic embryos of Gerbera jamesonii were induced from embryogenic callus obtained from leaf explants cultured on MS medium fortified with 1.0 mg/L BAP and 0.1 mg/L NAA with the addition of 50 mM L-Proline.
Synthetic seeds were formed when these micro shoots and somatic embryos were encapsulated using 3.0% sodium alginate solution and beads were solidified using 100 mM calcium chloride (CaCl₂.2H₂O) solution.
The effects of different sodium alginate concentration, calcium chloride molarity, and different composition of encapsulation matrix were studied.
The addition of 3% sodium alginate, Ca-free MS basal medium, 3% sucrose, 2.0 mg/L BAP, and 0.5 mg/L NAA in the encapsulation matrix resulted in 74.5±2.6% and 54.2±1.3% of germination rate respectively for micro shoots and somatic embryos.
The viability of the seeds after storage period at 4°C was also determined.
High germination rate (75-95%) was achieved after one to three months storage, whereas low germination rate (8-50%) was obtained after four to six months storage.
The synthetic seeds were also successfully germinated onto three different substrates: MS basal, garden soil, and vermiculite.

VI International Symposium on In Vitro Culture and Horticultural Breeding

R.M. Taha, N.A. Hasbullah, A. Awal

sodium alginate, encapsulation matrix, Murashige and Skoog, growth regulators, calcium chloride, germination

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.829.12