Plant regeneration from cell suspension cultures of Vigna aconitifolia

Plant regeneration has been achieved routinely from established cell suspension culture lines of Vigna aconitifolia (moth bean), a highly drought tolerant grain legume. The cultures originated from three-week-old leaf callus. Several media including MS, B5, AA, SL, PCM, SH and L-6 were tested for their effects on cell growth. Maximum growth was observed in L-6 medium containing 44.5 μM 2,4-D. After 6 to 8 weeks the suspensions were filtered through 500, 250, 125 and 60 μm sieves, respectively, for four to five subcultures. An embryogenic cell line (VA-686) was obtained from the cell fraction collected below 250 μm. The VA-686 cell line is being maintained on L-6 medium with 4.5 μM 2,4-D and 2.3 μM Zeatin. Somatic embryogenesis was induced by transferring the cells to L-6 medium with 4.6 μM zeatin in which green cell clusters were produced. The somatic embryos developed from most of the cell clusters when plated on L-6 agar medium with 2.3 μM BA.Plantlets were obtained from the embryos on L-6 medium with 10.0 μM IBA. The regenerated plants were grown to maturity in the greenhouse.