Plant regeneration from anther derived callus cultures of ginger (Zingiberofficinale Rosc.)

Ginger anthers collected at the uninucleate microspore stage were subjected to a cold treatment (0 degrees) for 7 d and induced to develop profuse cal lus on MS medium supplemented with 2-3 mg l(-1) 2, 4-D. Plantlets could be regenerated from these calli on MS medium supplemented with 5-10 mg l(-1) B AP and 0.2 mg l(-1) 2,4-D. The regenerated plantlets could be established i n soil with 85% success, when they were planted in potting mixture of garde n soil, sand and vermiculite in equal proportions and kept in a humid chamb er initially for 22-30 d. This is the first report of successful regenerati on of plants from ginger anther cultures and the protocol can be used for p ossible development of androgenic haploids and dihaploids in ginger.