Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in chrysanthemum (Yuukou)

Somatic embryogenesis was induced from leaf and stem of chrysanthemum (cv. Yuukou) using various combinations of plant growth regulators. About 93 and 63 % of somatic embryogenesis were respectively induced from leaf and stem cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) and a-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Somatic embryogenesis was more readily induced from leaf, yielding 100 % regeneration rate in MS medium supplement with 0.6 mg/L BA and 1.8 mg/L NAA. Plants were efficiently regenerated from leaf in medium lacking growth regulators, yielding a regeneration rate of 98 %. Micro-morphology analysis revealed the presence of individual somatic embryo and there is no vascular bundle connection between the new embryo structure and the parental tissue. In this study, an efficient system for plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis from leaves and stems of chrysanthemum was achieved. The result may facilitate mass production of high-quality chrysanthemum seedings for the commercial market.