Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from leaf tissues and anthers of Pennisetum purpureum Schum.

Expiants obtained from leaves of Pennisetum purpureum Schum. gave rise to callus tissues when cultured on Murashige and Skoog's nutrient medium containing only 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), or 2,4-D supplemented with naphthalene-acetic acid and/or 6-benzylaminopurine. Embryoids were formed in the white, compact and highly organised areas of the callus and developed into plants. Histological examination of cultured leaf segments showed that the callus tissue was formed by division in cells of the mesophyll tissue as well as the lower epidermis. A rapidly growing embryogenic callus tissue was also obtained apparently from the somatic tissues of anthers of P. purpureum, and induced to form plants through somatic embryogenesis. Plants obtained from leaf and anther culture were grown to maturity, and were shown to have the normal chromosome number of 2n = 4x = 28.