Regeneration of Malaysian rice variety MR 219 via somatic embryogenesis

A.R. Zuraida, A.S. Zulkifli, H. Habibuddin and B. Naziah

Abstract

Tissue culture plant regeneration protocols were developed for the Malaysian rice variety MR 219 (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica). Following these protocols, 78% of callus became embryogenic when cultured on a medium containing 1 mg/litre 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) and 10 mg/litre NAA (a-naphthaleneacetic acid). The highest frequency of somatic embryo initiation (81%) was obtained by incubating embryogenic calli on a medium containing 10 mg/litre ABA (abscisic acid) and 9 g/litre gelrite agar for 6 weeks. These embryos regenerated the highest number of plantlets when they were transferred to a medium containing 3 mg/litre kinetin and 0.5 mg/litre NAA. After 8 weeks incubation, 9 plantlets per 3 g of somatic embryos were produced. Hence, by manipulating plant growth regulators in the culture media, one medium was established for each of the following phases, namely the induction of embryogenic calli, their subculture and the regeneration of plantlets. These protocols can facilitate the production of large numbers of embryogenic calli with high regeneration capacity, and maybe incorporated into the genetic transformation system for the rice variety MR 219.

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