SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS IN CICER-ARIETINUM L - INFLUENCE OF GENOTYPE AND AUXINS

Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis was obtained in chick pea (Cicer arietinum L.) using immature cotyledons and immature embryo nal axes as explants. 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 4-amino- 3.5-6-trichloropicolinic acid (picloram) and 3.6-dichloro-0-anisic aci d (dicamba) in concentrations 1, 2, 5, 10 mg dm-3 were found better th an naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (10 - 20 mg dm-3) for the induction of globular and heart-shaped somatic embryos. The embryos developed upto the dicotyledonary stage on medium supplemented with saccharose, mann itol and silver nitrate (AgNO3) and developed further into plantlets o n medium containing gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA). Th e frequency of somatic embryogenesis was dependent on the genotype and auxins used.