CALLUS INDUCTION AND PLANT REGENERATION FROM MATURE EMBRYOS OF FOUR LOCAL WHEAT (.Triticum spp) VARIETIES

Twenty different local wheat (Triticum aestivum) varieties were screened for viability and tissue culture response, out of which four were selected. The effects of four different concentrations of 2, 4-D (lmg/ml, 2mg/ml, 3mg/ml and 4mg/ml) supplemented with MS to induce callus from mature embryos were evaluated. Medium supplemented with 3mg/ml produced maximum calli in all the varieties, while medium supplemented with lower concentrations of 2, 4-D produced small size and some no germination takes place. At higher concentrations of 2, 4-D (4.0mg/ml and above) the callus produced were loose, watery in texture, brownish or dirty white and were not able to regenerate. In regeneration, various concentrations of BAP and NAA were also studied (lmg/ml and 0. lmg/ml; 2mg/ml and 0.2mg/ml; 3mg/ml and 0.3mg/ml; 4mg/ml and 0.4mg/ml). It was observed that concentration at 4mg/ml of BAP and 0.4mg/ml of NAA resulted in maximum root and shoots formation. tyI82 and Cett were more responsive to regeneration than AGA and Linfen. This shows that there exists variation among different varieties in their tissue culture response also the variation in results may be due to difference in explants.