Induction of Multiple Shoots from Cotyledonary Node of Red Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Abstract

The experiments were carried out in order to compare three methods of multiple shoot formation and plantlet production in red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). All experiments utilized excised cotyledonary nodes from two week old seedlings which were germinated on the medium containing BA. The highest number of shoots were produced on the excised cotyledonary nodes which were cultured on the medium containing 5 mg/l BA and 0.05 mg/l NAA. Elongated shoots from each treatments were rooted on the rooting medium to produce the complete plantlets. It was observed that the highest number of complete plantlets were obtained from cotyledonary nodes which were cultured on the medium containing 0.05 mg/l BA, 0.005 mg/l NAA and 15% coconut milk. In treating bean seeds with the gamma-rays at 50 Gy before germinating them on the medium containing BA, the number of shoots on the excised cotyledonary nodes was slightly decreased while the number of complete plantlets was slightly increased as compared with the controls.