INFLUENCE OF GROWTH-REGULATORS ON SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS IN SESAME

Somatic embryos were induced from hypocotyl-derived callus of sesame ( Sesamum indicum Var. TMV 6). The influence of different auxins and cyt okinins on somatic embryogenesis was investigated. Among the different auxins tested, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid was the most effective and resulted in the highest frequency of responding cultures and high est average number of somatic embryo per responding cultures napthalen eacetic acid, indoleacetic acid, indolebutyric acid and 2,4,5-trichlor ophenoxypropionic acid were also effective for embryogenesis, but 2,4, 5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid and napthoxyacetic acid were not benefic ial. The combined effect of cytokinins with 2,4-D was also studied. Am ong the four cytokinins tested, 2.2 mu M benzyladenine with 13.6 mu M 2,4-D slightly enhanced embryogenic efficiency; while kinetin, zeatin, 6-gamma-gamma-dimethylallylaminopurine enhanced the frequency of resp onding cultures. There was a decrease in the number of somatic embryos per culture in the presence of all cytokinins.