SOMATIC EMBRYO ENCAPSULATION FOR SYNTHETIC SEED PRODUCTION IN AZADIRACHTA INDICA

Jaswinder Kaur*¹ and G.S.Virk²
1. Department of Botanical Sciences, Kanya Maha Vidyalaya, Jalandhar - 144 001
2. Department of Botanical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar - 143 005
jassi13_99@yahoo.com

Abstract
A protocol has been developed for the production of synthetic seeds in neem. The calluses were initiated from various explants on MS medium supplemented with BAP, KN, IBA, and IAA. Embryogenic cultures were obtained on modified MS medium [MS + BAP (1mg/l) + KN (1mg/l) +sucrose (3%) + agar-agar (0.8%) at pH 5.74], which were transferred to another modified MS medium [MS + IBA (2mg/l) + agar-agar (0.8%) + sucrose (3%) at pH 5.74] for the induction of repetitive somatic embryogenesis. Viability of somatic embryos was tested with the help of TTC (2,3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride) test. Somatic embryos were encapsulated using gel complexion via dropping procedure. Amongst various hydrogels like sodium alginate, carrageenan, tragacanth gum powder and locust bean gum, used with different complexing agents for the preparation of synthetic seeds, sodium alginate (3%) proved best. Complete plantlets were obtained from synthetic seeds under controlled conditions, and transferred to green house and field after hardening and acclimatization.

Key words: Neem, synthetic seeds, encapsulation.