SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS AND PLANTLET FORMATION IN DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF SUGARCANE (Sacchrum officinarum L.) HSF-243 AND HSF-245

An efficient protocol was developed for the induction of callus, somatic embryogenesis and regeneration response of two sugarcane varieties: HSF-243 and HSF-245, in this study. Callus was induced on young leaf explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with different concentration of 2, 4-D singly or in combination with BAP. The highest percentage of callus induction was observed in the medium containing 3mg/l of 2, 4-D. Callus was sub-cultured on MS medium supplemented with different growth regulators for the induction of somatic embryogenesis. Direct and indirect somatic embryogenesis was observed from both varieties. The best performance, with the different concentrations, was observed on MS medium supplemented with 2, 4-D 2.0 mg/l in HSF-243. Regeneration through embryogenic callus was observed on MS medium along with 2.0 mg/l 2, 4-D and 1.0 mg/l BAP, after 6-8 weeks where the regeneration percentage was 85. The maximum plantlets formation was achieved when embryogenic calluses were shifted to basal media