Vegetos

Abstract

For the preparation of synthetic seeds, shoot tips taken from in vitro grown plantlets of Punica granatum L. were used as a source of explants. To prepare the beads 3% sodium alginate solution and 100 mM Calcium Chloride was found to be the most suitable. The plantlets emerged from the alginate coated shoot tips on MS medium (full strength) free of any plant growth regulator. The medium strength and sucrose concentrations had a profound effect on growth and germination of synthetic seeds encapsulating shoot tips. Low temperature (4C°) was found to be the ideal temperature for storage of encapsulated shoot tips up to 35 days. The survival percentage was found to be 15%. After the storage period of four weeks about 86% encapsulated shoot tips emerged from the beads as tiny plantlets. The beads were subcultured on MS medium containing 3% sucrose. Plantlets formed from the alginate coated shoot tips thereafter acclimatized successfully.