Callus Induction and Somatic Embryogenesis of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Improvement with the Addition of Coconut Water

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the appropriate concentration of coconut water (CW) that enhance an efficient and cost effective protocol for rice micropropagation through callus induction and somatic embryogenesis.Seeds of a local Iraqi rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar Amber33, were used as explant which inoculated on basal medium consists of MS inorganic salts, Gamborg vitamins and supplemented with the auxin 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and the cytokinin Benzyl adenine (BA). In order to evaluate the role of CW, three concentrations (10, 20 and 30 g.l^-1) were added to MS inorganic salts after the exclusion of growth regulators (2.4-D and BA) and Gamborg vitamins. Results showed that adding CW especially at concentration of 30g.l^-1 have minimized the callus induction period, enhanced callus fresh weight and numbers and germination percentage of somatic embryos when compared with the media enriched with growth regulators only.

Keywords: Rice, callus induction, Somatic embryogenesis, coconut water.