INDUCTION OF CALLUS FROM LEAF AND STEM TISSUES OBTAINED FROM CAPSICUM ANNUUM EXPLANT GROWN ON WASTE ENGINE OIL-POLLUTED SOILS

The present study investigated callusing frequency of explants from leaf and stem tissues obtained from Capsicum annuum explant exposed to waste engine oil contamination. The explants obtained from 21-31 days old seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of BAP (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 mg/l) and NAA, IAA, 2, 4-D and IBA (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg/l). Results showed that efficient callusing in leaves and stems explants (21 days old) was achieved after explants were cultured on MS semi-solid media containing 1-5 mg/l BAP and 0.5-1.5 mg/l IBA for 4 weeks; while callus formation was hindered in older tissues. An effective protocol for callogenesis of 21 day-old explants (stems) of C. annuum obtained from oil-polluted soil in a semi-solid state MS medium using BAP and IBA was thus developed. The study also documented the ability of IBA to induce callus.