Plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis in the seeded diploid banana Musa ornata Roxb

Somatic embryos of a seeded diploid ornamental banana (Musa ornata Roxb.) were obtained from zygotic embryos cultured on semi-solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) (1962) medium with the auxin 2,4-D (0.5, 1, 2 mg/l) and 5% CW. Removal of 2,4-D and transferral to Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) (1972) salts with CW followed by basal MS led to embryo germination and growth. Plantlet production was obtained using filter paper bridges in liquid half-strength SH medium with 1% sucrose. The remarkable phenotypic fidelity of somatic embryos to that of zygotic embryos and the presence of a haustorium-like outgrowth on the somatic embryos is described.