Efficient plant regeneration of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum via somatic embryogenesis

An efficient plant regeneration procedure has been established from hypocot yl explants of the common ice plant, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L, a hal ophytic leaf succulent that exhibits a stress-induced switch from C3 photos ynthesis to crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Somatic embryos were initia ted and developed up to globular and heart stages in Murashige and Skoog (M S) media supplemented with 3% sucrose, 0.6% bacto-agar, 80 mM NaCl, 5 mu M 2,4-D and 1 mu M kinetin. High frequency regeneration occurred when somatic embryos were germinated on media that lacked 2,4-D. High cytokinin treatme nt suppressed normal growth of embryos and favored abnormal embryo prolifer ation Without growth regulators, regenerated plants rooted on MS medium wit h 100% efficiency. Mature, regenerated plants were fertile and morphologica lly identical to seed-derived plants.