Regeneration of Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Tomensa: induction of somatic embryogenesis in liquid culture for the production of "artificial seed"

Somatic embryogenesis from excised shoot tip meristems of a tetraploid pota to cultivar (Solanum tuberosum cv. Tomensa) was studied. Shoot tip meristem s were excised from 3 - 4 weeks old in vitro propagated plants. Calli were induced in medium supplemented with 3 mg/l NAA and 0.25 mg/l BAP. After cul tivation of the resulting calli in multiplication medium supplemented with 3 mg/l NAA and 1 mg/I BAP for 15 - 20 days, the hard green calli were trans ferred to embryo formation medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/l GA3 and 0.05 m g/l zeatin. Embryo formation was detected after 30 - 35 days. Histological studies confirmed the bipolar nature of the embryos. They developed to norm al plants when transferred to soil and grown in a greenhouse.