Callus formation and shoot bud differentiation in anther culture of Solanum surattense
In anther culture of Solatium surattense, the Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2.2 mg/L), indoleacetic acid or naphthaleneacetic acid (1.9 mg/L), and kinetin (2.2 mg/L) served as “callus-producing medium.” Histological and cytological observations indicated that the callus originated from the pollen grains. Synergistic action of kinetin (5.0 mg/L) and coconut milk (15%) in basal medium was able to induce differentiation of shoot buds either from the anthers directly or from the callus. Directly differentiating buds were formed by whole shoot bud morphogenesis of pollen. They were produced at a low frequency and showed presence of well-developed radicular and plumular regions. But the buds originating from callus lacked radicular ends. Root initiation in such buds was achieved by transferring them to basal medium. Cytological examination of the androgenic plantlets revealed a chromosomal series ranging from the haploid to the hexaploid with a few aneuploids.