Meristem Culture of Interspecific Hybrids of Groundnut

Abstract

The shoot apices of ten groundnut interspecific hybrids, showing peanut stripe virus symptoms were used as explants. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 1 mg dm^-3 each of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and benzylaminopurine (BAP) supported maximum callusing of the hybrids J 11 × Arachis sp. PI 30008 as well as J 11 × A. sp. Manfredi # 5 (86.3 and 82.6 %, respectively). On MS medium with 3.5 mg dm^-3 NAA and 0.2 mg dm^-3 BAP, the meristems of J 11 × A. stenosperma as well as J 11 × A. otavioi gave good response (79.7 and 77.2 %). The regeneration frequencies ranged from 16.7 to 76.9 % and was more than 30 % in all hybrids except for J 11 × PI 30085. Shoots (5 cm) regenerated from the virus-free (ELISA tested) calli rooted well (60 – 80 %) on MS basal medium supplemented with 0.4 % activated charcoal and 200 mg dm^-3 casein hydrolysate. In addition, long shoots which failed to produce roots, when transferred to soil during rainy season and protected from direct sun got established.