Bc. Li et Dj. Wolyn, THE EFFECTS OF ANCYMIDOL, ABSCISIC-ACID, UNICONAZOLE AND PACLOBUTRAZOL ON SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS OF ASPARAGUS, Plant cell reports, 14(8), 1995, pp. 529-533
The effects of ancymidol, abscisic acid (ABA), uniconazole, and paclob
utrazol on asparagus somatic embryogenesis were evaluated. Calli induc
ed from seedlings of genotype G447 were transferred to embryo inductio
n medium (MS plus 3% sucrose, 0.1 mg L(-1) NAA, 0.5 mg L(-1) kinetin a
nd 3% gelrite), with different concentrations of these compounds. Afte
r 8 weeks, the recovered bipolar or globular embryos were placed on ge
rmination medium (MS plus 6% sucrose, 0.1 mg L(-1) NAA, 0.1 mg L(-1) k
inetin, 0.75 mg L(-1) ancymidol, 40 mg L(-1) adenine sulphate dihydrat
e, 0.17 mg L(-1) sodium phosphate monobasic and 3% gelrite) for conver
sion to plantlets. Inclusion of ancymidol, ABA, uniconazole and paclob
utrazol in the embryo induction medium did not affect the total number
of somatic embryos produced relative to the control without these com
pounds. However, ancymidol, ABA and uniconazole significantly improved
embryo development by increasing the production of bipolar embryos 25
0-750% and decreasing that of globular embryos 8-35% relative to the c
ontrol. The bipolar embryos produced with any of the four compounds in
the embryo induction medium converted to plantlets at rates 700-1100%
greater than the control. None of the globular embryos converted to p
lantlets. Ancymidol (0.75 mg L-L) and ABA (0.05 mg L(-1)) were the mos
t effective treatments; 61 and 46 bipolar embryos g(-1) callus were pr
oduced, and 38% and 37% of the bipolar embryos converted to plantlets,
respectively. These results indicated that ancymidol, ABA, uniconazol
e and paclobutrazol significantly enhanced the production of asparagus
somatic embryos and their conversion to plantlets, and ancymidol and
ABA were more effective than uniconazole and paclobutrazol.