Callus induction is affected by explant type and plant growth regulators in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.).

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important plant protein resources. Plant breeding is important for ensuring food security by developing new varieties that are higher-yielding. One of the methods for increasing of plant variation is somaclonal variation. The most common factors affecting somaclonal variation are explant type and plant growth regulators. The present study was carried out for comparison of different explant types and plant growth regulators in chickpea (Bivanij cultivar) in order to callus induction. In this experiment four explants (embryo, cotyledon, node and hypocotyl) were cultured on the best growth regulators compositions that have been previously reported. The evaluated parameters include percentages of callus induction, number of days for callus induction and callus growth. Results showed that the embryos showed 100% callus induction in almost in all mediums. Cotyledons, nodes and hypocotyls medium supplemented by 0.5 mg/1 BAP+ 0.5 mg/1 NAA showed 95, 70 and 100 percentage callus induction respectively. The highest callus growth was belong to embryo in medium supplemented by 1.5 mg/1 BAP+ 2.5mg/l NAA (0.165 mm d /d ) and the lowest was belong to cotyledon in medium supplemented by 0.1mg/l NAA+ 0.5 mg/1 2,4-D (0.004 mm d/d). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]