Regulation of Medicago sativa L. somatic embryogenesis by gibberellins

The influence of exogenous gibberellic acid (GA3) andpaclobutrazol, an inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis, on growth of callusandsomatic embryogenesis in petiole-derived tissue cultures of Medicagosativa L. has been investigated. GA3 (0.5–500μM) or paclobutrazol(5–100 μM) were added to either an induction (with 2,4 Dand kinetin) or a differentiation medium (without plant growth regulators).Gibberellin A3, applied during the induction as well as thedifferentiation stage, reduced the weight of callus and increased the number ofsomatic embryos in Medicago sativa L. tissue cultures.Somatic embryo production was increased more by the presence of exogenousGA3 in the differentiation than induction medium. The inclusion ofpaclobutrazol in the induction or differentiation medium caused the inhibitionof callus growth and embryo production. Callus growth was much less affectedthan embryogenesis. These results indicate that gibberellins are beneficial forboth embryoinduction and formation. The level of endogenous gibberellins is presumablysufficient for callus induction and growth. However, it seems not optimal forthe induction and particularly for the differentiation of embryos.