Plant regeneration from anther derived callus cultures of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rose.)

Abstract

Ginger anthers collected at the uninucleate microspore stage were subjected to a cold treatment (0°) for 7 d and induced to develop profuse callus on MS medium supplemented with 2-3 mg 1-1 2, 4-D. Plantlets could be regenerated from these calli on MS. medium supplemented with 5-10 mgI-I BAP and 0.2mgI-I 2,4-D. The regenerated plantlets couid be established in soil with 85% success, when they were planted in potting mixture of garden soil, sand and vermiculite in equal proportions and kept in a humid chamber initially for 22-30 d. This is the first report of successful regeneration of plants from ginger anther cultures and the protocol can be used for possible development of androgenic haploids and dihaploids in ginger.