Somatic embryogenesis and in vitro plant regeneration from various explants of the halophyte Leymus chinensis (Trin.)

The halophyte Leymus chinensis (Trin.) is a perennial rhizome grass (tribe Gramineae) that is widely distributed throughout China, Mongolia and Siberia. This study was conducted to investigate an optimal condition for plant regeneration from mature seeds, leaf base segments, and root segments in L. chinensis. Plant growth regulators affecting embryogenic callus induction and plant regeneration were investigated by four-factor-three-level [L∧9 (3⁴)] orthogonal test in this study. The effects of explants types (mature seeds, leaf base segments and root segments), callus types, medium types were examined in this study. Wild type (WT) and Jisheng No. 1 plants (JS) were used for primary callus induction. A clear explants difference was seen during callus induction; mature seeds were considered as the preferred explants; and the highest frequency of callus induction was obtained in Medium 6 using mature seeds as explants in WT. Plant regeneration ability was evaluated by frequencies of green callus forming, shooting, rooting, and shooting with roots. Effect of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) on shoot regeneration was remarkable with the highest frequency of 70.8% in WT after 2-month culture. The medium with 0.2-0.5 mg/L NAA was found to have the highest shoot induction. All regenerated shoots were successfully rooted when transferred on half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium. The acclimatized plantlets were grown to mature with flowering and seeds setting in green house conditions.