Obtaining Callus from Anther Culture of Moringa oleifera Lam. cv. PKM-1

Purpose Moringa oleifera, highly heterozygous in a variety, is the main Moringa species currently planted in China, its elite characteristics of a cultivar is likely to be regressive in the progenies. In order to realize homozygous in a variety, Moringa anther culture was exploited to obtain doubled haploid plants.

Method The anther of Moringa PKM-1 was cultured on MS media supplemented with either 2,4-D or NAA, the callus was treated with colchicine at various concentrations and diffenent time, and the doubled haploid callus was transferred to plantlet induction media supplemented with 6-BA, KT and NAA at variable concentrations.

Result The callus produced from PKM-1 anther cultured on MS media was correlated to 2,4-D concentration, the maximum callus induction rate was 9.0% supplemented with 2.0 mg/L 2,4-D, and the average was 6.0%. NAA had no contribution to the callus induction of anther culture. Chromosome doubled from haploid callus was likely to be dosage effect in terms of colchicine concentration and treat time, 0.6% colchicine treated 72 h shared the same rate as 0.8% colchicine treated 48 h with a double rate at 60%. Haploid callus of PKM-1 could be doubled autonomously without colchicine at a relatively low rate. No embryoid regenerated from the plantlet induction media supplemented with 6-BA, KT and NAA at various concentrations.

Conclusion The calli could be obtained from the anther culture of Moringa PKM-1, whereas much work should be input to generate intact plantlet of PKM-1 in the future.