European Journal of Medicinal Plants

In the present study it was reported on direct somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from cotyledon and leaf explants of Turkey berry/pea egg plant (Solanum torvum SW), a medicinally important plant. Somatic embryogenesis has several advantages over other routes of in vitro plant regeneration. Somatic embryogenesis was induced directly from cotyledon and leaf explants on MS medium fortified with BAP (0.5 mg/L)+NAA (0.5-6.0 mg/L). High percentage of somatic embryogenesis (90%), maximum number of somatic embryos formation (62±0.18)  along with high percentage (76%) conversion of somatic embryos into bipolar embryos was observed on cotyledon explants in 0.5 mg/L BAP+2.5 mg/L NAA. At the same concentration of BAP (0.5 mg/L)+NAA (2.5 mg/L) also resulted  on the maximum percentage of somatic embryogenesis (92%), the highest number of somatic embryos formation (88±0.15) and the highest percentage (76%) of somatic embryos conversion into bipolar embryos in leaf explants. A mixture of globular, heart and torpedo-shaped embryos were germinated on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L IAA+1.0-4.0 mg/L BAP. Maximum germination frequency (75±0.14) of somatic embryos and plantlet formation was found in 0.5 mg/L IAA+2.0 mg/L BAP, but they didn’t germinate on ½ MSO and MSO media. The survival rate of regenerated plants after field transfer was recorded to be 75%. These regenerated plants were found morphologically similar to donor plants. The present protocol can be used for conservation of the species and also for genetic transformation experiments in S. torvum.