Somaclonal variations through indirect organogenesis in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Abstract

Somaclonal variations in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) were observed among plants regenerated from cotyledon-derived callus. Variations included certain morphologic deviations, frequency of in vitro propagation and rooting. They were detected in 9 to 12 passage culture and occurred irrespective of the type or concentration of plant growth regulator used for callus induction or plant regeneration. Based on morphological similarities, regenerated plants were classified into five phenotypes designated as LNR1 - LNR5. The plants were propagated by node and shoot tip explants on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/$L^ {-1}$ BAP and rooted on the same medium but without growth hormones. All cloned lines exhibited lower frequency of micropropagation and root formation than the control plants, except the dwarfed plants, which do not multiplies on the used medium for in vitro propagation. Future research will determine the importance of new somaclonal lines for genetic variability of eggplant.