Embryogenesis and regeneration of green plantlets from oat (Avena sativa L.) leaf-base segments: influence of nitrogen balance, sugar and auxin

Abstract

The nitrogen composition and sugar and auxin concentrations of callus induction medium were optimized in order to improve the regeneration of green plants from two elite oat cultivars, Aslak and Veli. For both cultivars, the production of green plantlets was doubled by optimization. However, the results obtained also clearly demonstrated that cultivars of the same species may differ drastically in their requirements for essential media components. Veli clearly required higher total amounts of nitrogen (67.8 mM) than Aslak (44.9 mM) but less maltose and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (28 g l^–1and 0.6 mg l^–1) than Aslak (38 g l^–1and 2 mg l^–1). This result indicates that the optimal production of green plantlets through embryogenesis requires that media be optimized for each cultivar separately.