Development of embryogenic cell suspensions from shoot meristematic tissue in bananas and plantains (Musa spp.)

Multiple meristem cultures of 18 varieties belonging to 5 genome types in Musa (AA, AAA, AAA-h, AAB, ABB) were established by culturing elongated shoots on MS medium supplemented with 100 μM BAP. The top layers comprising the most meristematic tissue, i.e. scalps, were excised and induced for embryogenesis on media containing 1–50 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Embryogenic responses were obtained for each of the tested concentrations, with an optimum at 5 μM 2,4-D. From the 24,375 scalps tested, only 3.3% resulted in an embryogenic response. The average embryogenic frequency was 6.0% for cooking bananas (ABB), 3.8% for Cavendish-type bananas (AAA) and 1.8% for plantains (AAB). Once embryogenic complexes were transferred to liquid maintenance medium, embryogenic cell suspensions with high regeneration capacity were obtained.