Mj. Hutchinson et Pk. Saxena, ACETYLSALICYLIC-ACID ENHANCES AND SYNCHRONIZES THIDIAZURON-INDUCED SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS IN GERANIUM (PELARGONIUM X HORTORUM BAILEY) TISSUE-CULTURES, Plant cell reports, 15(7), 1996, pp. 512-515
Thidiazuron (TDZ) effectively induced somatic embryogenesis in culture
d hypocotyl explants of geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum Bailey) durin
g only a 3-day period of induction. The presence of acetylsalicylic ac
id (ASA) during this period caused a two-fold increase in the number o
f somatic embryos and enhanced synchronization of embryo development c
ompared to the TDZ treatment alone. Salicylic acid was ineffective in
modulating similar embryogenic responses as ASA. The ASA-induced enhan
cement and synchronization of somatic embryogenesis could possibly be
used as an experimental system to study the interplay of growth regula
tors in somatic embryogenesis.