SUGARCANE SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS - A SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY STUDY

Spindles of CUBA 87-51 sugarcane were cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium and supplemented with different nutrients, Embryogen ic and non-embryogenic callus obtained were comparatively studied by s canning electron microscopy (SEM), Samples of embryogenic callus cultu red in regeneration medium (MS without 2.4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) were taken at different times for analyzing the sequential process. D istinctive features of two types of callus are shown by SEM: cells org anized in embryos are noted in embryogenic callus; while elongated, di sorganized cells can be seen in nonembryogenic callus, The characteris tics of the embryos during plant regeneration are described, Sugarcane embryoid stages are: globular, globular with lateral notch and scutel lum, In this process also appear shoot meristems, leaf and root primor dia and finally, true leaves and roots, It is concluded that callus pl ant regeneration from young leaf segments of sugarcane mainly occur vi a somatic embryogenesis.