Plant regeneration from embryogenic cultures of Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steud.

Embryogenic cultures of the common reed [Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex. Steud.] were induced on Murashige and Skoog (1962)-based medium with 2% (w/v) sucrose, B5 vitamins and 4.5 muM 2,4-dichlorphenoxyacetic acid. Four independent culture lines, two initiated from stem nodes and two from root s, were established. These cultures underwent somatic embryogenesis. In one line of stem node origin, the somatic embryos germinated and developed int o plants, following transfer of embryogenic cultures to Murashige and Skoog (1962)-based medium lacking growth regulators, with 108 +/- 17 plants bein g recovered per 100 mg fresh weight of culture. In other lines, the somatic embryos developed roots, but not shoots. Shoot regeneration via somatic em bryogenesis offers potential as an in vitro system for physiological studie s, including assessments of the response of common reed to environmental po llutants.