1Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran.
2Department of Microbiology, Zanjan Islamic Azad University, Zanjan, Iran.
3Department of Irrigation, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran.
* Corresponding author, E-mail: okarami215@gmail.com
This is the first report for optimal culture conditions to induce direct somatic embryogenesis in two strawberry cultivars (Selva and Comarosa). Somatic embryos were directly formed from leaf explants plated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing picloram. Maximum embryogenesis was obtained with 2 mg/l picloram. Globular shape embryos were developed into cotyledonary-shaped embryos when they were transferred to hormone-free media containing different concentrations of sucrose. Increasing sucrose concentrations in culture media enhanced somatic embryos development. Cotyledonary somatic embryos were converted into plantlets when they were transferred on MS medium containing GA3. Maximum germination was obtained with 1 and 2 mg/l GA3. Plantlets were also continued to grow under greenhouse condition.
Direct somatic embryo, embryogenesis, regeneration, strawberry
