A study on callus induction and plant regeneration in giant reed (Arundo donax)

In this study, the aseptic seedlings of giant reed (Arundo donax) were firstly obtained from lateral shoot tips and young stem segments with axillary buds by root and bud induction on the MS medium with 0.2 mg·L-1 NAA+1.0 mg·L-1 KT. Then, five types of explants, including root segments, leaf segments, leaf segments of aseptic seedlings, stem segments of aseptic seedlings, stem segments with axillary buds, were examined for their callus inducing capacity on the MS medium with 1.0 mg mg·L-12,4-D+0.1 mg·L-1 KT. The results indicated that, no callus was induced from leaf segments as well as leaf segments of aseptic seedlings, only a small quantity of calli were induced from root segments but in rare cases, a low quantity of calli were induced from stem segments of aseptic seedlings in majority cases, and a large quantity of calli were induced in the base of axillary buds of stem segments. After 1~2 rounds of re-culture on the same medium, the calli (with an improved quality as well as an increased quantity) were transferred on the MS medium with 0.5 mg·L-1 KT+1.0 mg·L-1 6-BA, on which both shoots and roots were simultaneously induced with a large quantity, indicating a high capacity of callus differentiation and high propagation coefficient by plant regeneration in giant reed. This study provides a technical support for the application of biotechnology in giant reed breeding and propagation.