High frequency plant regeneration from immature ovule-derived embryogenic cell suspension cultures of Chelidonium majus var. asiaticum

Culture conditions for high frequency plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis in cell suspension cultures of Chelidonium majus var. asiaticum are described. Immature ovules formed embryogenic calluses at a frequency of 40% when cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 4.52 mu M 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The optimum ovule size for embryogenic callus formation ranged from 1 to 1.5 mm in length. Cell suspension cultures were established from embryogenic calluses using MS liquid medium containing 4.52 mu M 2,4-D. Upon plating onto MS basal medium, cell aggregates from cell suspension cultures produced somatic embryos which then developed into plantlets. Regenerated plantlets were transplanted to potting soil and grown to maturity in a growth chamber.