IN-VITRO SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS OF DALBERGIA-SISSOO ROXB - A MULTIPURPOSE TIMBER-YIELDING TREE

Somatic embryogenesis was achieved in callus cultures dervied from 40- day-old semimature zygotic embryos of Dalbergia sissoo on semi-solid M urashige and Skoog (MS) salts and vitamins supplemented with 0.46-1.16 mu M kinetin, 6.78-9.04 mu M 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and 30 g/l sucrose. Somatic embryos proliferated rapidly by secondary somatic embryogenesis after transfer to half-strength basal MS medium supplemented with 0.46-1.16 mu M kinetin and 6.78-9.04 mu M 2,4-D with 2% (w/v) sucrose. The light-green somatic embryos germinated on half- strength MS salts and vitamins supplemented with 0.5 mg/l abscisic aci d and 2% (w/v) sucrose. The developmental stages of somatic embryogene sis were studied by light and scanning electron microscopy.