Induction of somatic embryos and plantlet development in cell suspension cultures of Arachis hypogaea L.

Suspension cultures were initiated from immature leaflet derived callus of Arachis hypogaea L, in MS liquid medium supplemented with 2,4-D, NAA and BAP, On transfer to MS liquid medium supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-D, NAA and BAP, large number of somatic embryos differentiated when the suspension was cultured for 7 days in the induction medium. The cells destined to become somatic embryos divided to form spherical of filamentous proembryos. The filamentous proembryo developed into different shapes of embryos, Somatic embryogenesis began in the proembryo stage and proceeded from globular to dicotyledonary stage, The somatic embryos developed normal morphogenesis. The frequency of somatic embryogenesis was dependent on the genotype and auxin concentration used, Mature plants have been obtained, although the frequency was low with this procedure, This protocol can be used for production of disease resistant and salt tolerant plants from the selected cell lines.