XVI International Botanical Congess

Chickpea is the world's third most important pulse crop. It is used as a major source of protein for human as well as animal consumption. A reproducible protocol has been developed for the regeneration of shoots of Cicer arientinum L. from leaf callus. Shoots and viable plants of chickpea were regenerated from a compact callus derived from seven to ten day old primary leaves. The leaf explants were inoculated on MS medium supplemented with 0.9 mg/lit NAA for callus induction. The organogenic callusing was observed in 100% of the cultures within fifteen days. The calli were then transferred to MS basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/lit BAP and 0.5mg/lit GA3 in which regeneration of shoots occurred after four weeks. Shoots regenerated from the callus were rooted and elongated on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/lit IBA and 1mg/lit GA3. Regeneration frequency of over 60% was obtained on MS medium and the average number of shoots was 30. The completely regenerated plantlets were transferred to a mixture of autoclaved garden soil and sand (1:1) and hardened and successfully transferred to in vivo conditions.