Somatic embryos from culture ovules of polyembryonic Mangifera indica L

Ovules were aseptically removed from 2 month old fruits of 9 naturally polyembryonic cultivars and 1 monoembryonic cultivar of mango (Mangifera indica L.). Ovules were placed into culture on solid Murashige and Skoog medium that had been modified by the addition of half strength major salts and chelated iron, 6% sucrose, 400 mg/l glutamine, 100 mg/l ascorbic acid with or without the following growth regulators: 20% (v/v) CW, 1 or 2 mg/1 BA. Somatic embryogenesis occurred from the nucellus excised from the ovules of 5 of the naturally polyembryonic cultivars after 1-2 months in culture. Somatic embryogenesis was not apparently affected by the growth regulator composition of the media; however, efficient somatic embryogenesis only occurred in liquid containing 20% CW.