Somatic embryogenesis from bract cultures in diploid Musa acuminata cultivars from South India

Embryogenic callus was regenerated from bract explants of four diploid (2n = 22) banana cultivars such as Musa acuminata cv. Matti (AA), Sannachenkadali (AA), Chingan (AB) and Njalipoovan (AB) inoculated on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with TDZ (0.045–9.00 μM). The embryogenic callus transferred on MS basal medium supplemented with biotin (8.18, 12.27 and 16.37 μM) enhanced the production of somatic embryos in cv. Matti, Chingan and Njalipoovan respectively. Addition of 6.84 μM glutamine produced maximum somatic embryos in cv. Sannachenkadali. Regenerated plants showed little somaclonal variation and were established in soil with 90% survival rate.

► This is the first report on the production of somatic embryos from the bract explants of four diploid banana cultivars namely Musa acuminata cv. Matti, cv. Sannachenkadali, cv. Chingan and cv. Njalipoovan.
► Embryogenic callus induction and proliferation was maximum in TDZ.
► Use of additive such as biotin enhances the production of somatic embryos in three cultivars (cv. Matti, cv. Chingan and cv. Njalipoovan).
► Presence of glutamine enhances the production of somatic embryos in cv. Sannachenkadali.