Thidiazuron promotes high frequency regeneration of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) plants in vitro

Multiple shoots were induced on Valenciatype peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) explants cultured in vitro on a nutrient medium supplemented with thidiazuron. Zygotic embryos excised from mature seeds were germinated on Murashige-Skoog nutrient medium, and the resulting plantlets (8 days-old) were used as a source of explants. When cultured on a nutrient medium with increasing levels of thidiazuron (0.5 to 30 mg/l), expiants from various parts of the peanut plant (except the root) produced multiple shoot primordia which subsequently developed into individual shoots. Hypocotyl and cotyledon explants produced shoots in higher numbers than other explants (20 shoots per hypocotyl explant at all thidiazuron concentrations and 15 shoots per cotyledon explant at 30 mg/l). Shoots rooted normally on a basal Murashige-Skoog medium containing charcoal and developed into healthy and fertile plants when planted in soil.