Smoke-saturated Water Influences Somatic Embryogenesis Using Vegetative Shoot Apices of Mature Trees of Pinus wallichiana A.B. Jacks

摘要

This study highlights for the first time the influence of smoke-saturated-water on somatic embryogenesis using vegetative shoot apices of mature trees of Pinus wallichiana , an important pine tree of Himalayan region. The addition of smoke-saturated -water derived from the local grasses has a significant effect on the different developmental stages of somatic embryogenesis of P. wallichiana. Smoke-saturated-water at a concentration of 10% in the DCR basal medium (Gupta and Durzan, 1985) resulted in the higher percentage of embryogenesis in all the three genotypes of P. wallichiana as compared against control. Lower concentrations of smoke-saturated water do not have any effect on somatic embryogenesis. On the other hand higher concentrations of smoke-saturated water inhibited embryogenesis in all the three genotypes of P. wallichiana . The presence of smoke-saturated-water in the maturation medium increased the rate of embryo development as evidenced by the occurrence of more number of well matured somatic embryos (PW-37; PW-34; PW120-39) recovered per gram fresh-weight of embryogenic tissue as compared against control. Maximum number of somatic embryos germinated successfully and resulted in the formation of vigorous seedlings compared against control. These observations suggest that the active ingredient (s) in smoke-saturated-water play a regulatory role in plant development. This plays an important role in commercial forestry.