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Viability assessment of <i>in vitro</i> produced synthetic seeds of cucumber
Abstract
Friable, embryogenic calli of F1 cucumber (Cucumis sativus) cultivar, Royal, were induced from the hypocotyl pieces cultured on solidified MS-basal media supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and benzyl amino purine (BAP). Embryogenic calli were transferred to liquid Murashige and Skoog (MS)-basal media supplemented with 5 ƒÊM naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 1 µM BAP. The mature somatic embryos were encapsulated in sodium alginate mixture in synthetic seeds. The encapsulation mixture containing 3% sodium alginate, 100 mM calcium chloride and one-fourth volume of the cell suspension nutrient mixture containing 5x10-4 somatic embryos per ml was found the best. Synthetic seeds remain viable up to 14 weeks when stored at 4°C. Germination efficiency of synthetic seeds was decreased to 57% after 10 weeks of storage followed by rapid decrease in survival rate to 0% after 15 weeks. Genetic diversity between mother plants and in vitro produced synthetic seeds showed resemblance as assessed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers.
Key words: Artificial seed, Cucumis sativus, encapsulation, somatic embryogenesis, sodium-calcium alginate.