Assessment of somaclonal variations in two lines of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Sr.]

Abstract

Somaclonal variation has great potential to enhance the advantages of conventional plant breeding, and increase the production and productivity of crops to meet the increasing demand for food and food products in the future. In pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Sr.], plant morphogenesis has been achieved via somatic embryogenesis. Somatic embryos were isolated and regenerated into whole green plants on MS medium supplemented with indole-3-acetic acid (1 mgl-1) and kinetin (0.5 mgl-1). Ten Ro plants of each cultivar were selected on the basis of 13 quantitative characters. Transmission of somaclonal variation was studied from callus derived (Ro) plants to R1 and R2 generations and were compared with those obtained from embryo culture without any callus formation (Eo-E2). Significant variation was observed among regenerants for number of leaves! plant, days to heading,. length of panicle, average width of panicle and weight of panicle.