The effect of pre-treatment, genotypes and the age of cotyledonary explants on shoot regeneration in canola

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most important oil plants standing third worldwide after palm and soybean. Gene transfer to crops in order for genetic modification which can eventually lead to the enhancement of these plantsʹ production both quantitatively and qualitatively strongly depends on developing an applicable method for green shootsʹ regeneration from explants and transformational methods. The present study analyses several canola genotypes with a wider cultivated surface in the country, and aims to provide an appropriate method with a higher applicability for shoot production and regeneration from canola plantletsʹ cotyledons. In order for efficient regeneration, cotyledonary explants of four canola cultivars (Talaye, Okapi, Hayola 401, and RGS003), different hormonal combinations, different explants ages, and various natural conditions were experimented. The data related to plantlet regeneration including regeneration rate and the numbers of stems above and below 1.5 cm were collected and analyzed with SAS software. The highest regeneration rate (%64) was obtained from 4-day-old cotyledonary explants of RGS003 in a pre-treatment medium containing BAP (0.01 mg/1). The highest number of shoots longer than 1.5 cm (6.91 n) was achieved in a pre-treatment medium containing BAP(0.5 mg/1), while the highest number of stems shorter than 1.5 cm (3.5 n) belonged to a treatment medium containing BAP (0.01 mg/1). Regarding efficient properties and high regeneration rate of RGS003, this cultivar can be employed in the experiments of transformation and improvement of agronomic properties.