XVI International Botanical Congess

Albizia lebbeck and Dalbergia sissoo are tropical leguminous trees that produce valuable timber. We established a regeneration system via tissue and cell suspension culture for Albizia lebbeck. The culture medium was standardized after optimizing casein hydrolysate (w/v), coconut milk (v/v), 6-BAP and IBA concentrations to induce morphogenesis and somatic embryogenesis. This is the first report of somatic embryogenesis of A. lebbeck from suspension culture. SEM differentiated regenerative and non-regenerative calli. Embryos from suspension culture produced plantlets in A. lebbeck. Karyotyping confirmed genomic stability of regenerants. In aged callus of Dalbergia sisso regenerative potential declined but was reinstated with coconut milk and casein hydrolysate. These two growth factors rejuvenated cultured tissue and reduced frequency of chromosomal anomalies. Karyotyping provided the somatic chromosome number, average chromosomal length and F% for A. lebbeck and D. sissoo. Hardened regenerated plants grew normally in the greenhouse.