[Improvement of somatic embryogenesis process in sugarcane Venezuelan cultivars]

Efficient embryogenic callus formation (70%) in many sugarcane cultivars, has been established using young leaf explants cultivated on modified Murashige and Skoog medium containing 13 microM 2,4-dichlorophenoxiacetic acid (2,4-D). However, Venezuelan sugarcane cultivars V78-1 and V75-6 produced only 30% of embryogenic callus when were cultured in these conditions. In order to improve somatic embryogenesis in these Venezuelan cultivars, embryogenic calli were induced using different media: C3 (13 microM 2,4-D); C7 (31.5 microM 2,4-D); Cd (30 microM Dicamba) and C5BA (22.5 microM 2,4-D, 22.2 microM N6-Benzyladenine). After 45 days of induction, the highest embryogenic callus production (90%), was observed in both cultivars, when they were cultured on Cd medium. Moreover, plant development from somatic embryos originated in this callus, was evident four days after incubation on regeneration medium (without hormones), while the somatic embryos originated from calli growing in C3, C7 and C5BA media, gave rise to plants eight days after incubation on regeneration medium.