In vitro studies on initiation and maintenance of somatic embryogenesis in Pinus roxburghii in the presence of silver nitrate and abscisic acid
Abstract
Low productivity of extrusion, initiation, maturation and germination of plantlets is an issue of concern in Pinus roxburghii. The focus of the current study was to study the effect of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and abscisic acid (ABA) on extrusion, initiation, proliferation and maintenance of somatic embryogenesis in P. roxburghii. Cones of P. roxburghii were collected from the Botanical Garden, Institute of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore. Seeds were detached followed by inoculation on a modified LP medium having different levels of AgNO3 (10, 20, 30 µM) and ABA (0.5, 1, 1.5 mg L-1). The results illustrated that the co-addition of AgNO3 and ABA increased the rate of extrusion and initiation compared to the solo application of AgNO3 and ABA which demonstrated no significant outcomes. The rate of extrusion was highest using 30 µM AgNO3+1.5 mg L-1ABA (30.5 %), whereas increment in rate of initiation was observed from 1.02 % (10 µM AgNO3+0.5 mg L-1ABA) to 4.81 % (30 µM AgNO3+1.5 mg L-1ABA). On the contrary, modified LP medium supplemented with BAP (1.995 µM), Kinetin (1.998 µM), 2, 4-D (4.976 µM), ABA (4.91 µM) and AgNO3 (10 µM) was used for proliferation and maintenance of SM of P. roxburghii. The results suggested that 30 µM of AgNO3 along with 1.5 mg L-1of ABA improved the extrusion and initiation results.
