EMBRYOGENIC PROTOPLAST CULTURES OF ORANGE JESSAMINE (MURRAYA-PANICULATA) AND THEIR REGENERATION INTO PLANTS FLOWERING IN-VITRO

Embryogenic callus was induced from the hypocotyl region of seedlings germinated from immature embryos of orange jessamine (Murraya panicula ta (L.) Jack) on Murashige & Tucker (1969) medium containing 50 g l(-1 ) sucrose, 5.0 mg l(-1) benzyladenine, 2.5 mg l(-1) 2,4-dichlorophenox yacetic acid and 600 mg l(-1) malt extract. Isolated protoplasts divid ed to produce callus on Murashige and Tucker (1969) medium containing 50 g l(-1) sucrose, 0.01 mg l(-1) gibberellin A(4+7) and 600 mg l(-1) malt extract. Callus developed to plantlets via somatic embryogenesis on Murashige and Tucker (1969) medium with 50 g l(-1) lactose but no p lant growth regulators. These plantlets flowered in vitro on half stre ngth Murashige and Tucker (1969) medium containing 50 g l(-1) sucrose after 2 months culture.