MICROPROPAGATION AND EMBRYOID FORMATION FROM YOUNG LEAVES OF BAMBUSA-GLAUCESCENS GOLDEN-GODDESS

Plant regeneration has been achieved from dormant buds of Bambusa glau cescens 'Golden goddess'. Cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium (MS ) supplemented with naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), buds were elongated and then rooted. Transferred in the soil, the regenerated plants devel oped and exhibited the same features as the donor plants. Friable, muc ilaginous and compact calli were initiated from semi-thin transverse s ections of young leaves excised from Bambusa glaucescens shoots. Under appropriate conditions, compact callus of B. glaucescens segregated i nto sectors, some of which were white, smooth and showed the morpholog ical characteristics of embryogenic callus. Subcultured under graduall y increasing BA concentrations, these embryogenic callus produced embr yo-like structures. Although embryogenic potential was maintained thro ugh several transfers, further development was not achieved. Differenc es in protein patterns were found between the different morphological callus analyzed. Three major proteins were expressed specifically in f riable callus, whereas compact callus and pro-embryogenic callus exhib ited similar protein patterns.