Somatic embryogenesis on two Eucalyptus species (E. melliodora and E. microcarpa)

A reliable and reproducible method for In vitro plant regeneration of two important temperate Eucalyptus species (E. melliodora and E. microcarpa) was developed utilizing seedling explants. Highly regenerative callus was obtained from individual cotyledon and hypo-cotyledon explants using MS basal nutrient medium with 30 gl- sucrose, 6.8 g l- agar, 0.1 mg l- BAP and 0.5 mg l- 2,4-D. In a few instances, direct shoot regeneration occurred without an intervening callus phase. Somatic embryos were observed occasionally in E. melliodora and E. microcarpa arising from the surface of organogenic callus. Regenerated shoots of both species could be rooted in a hormone free modified MS media and plantlets were transferred successfully to soil.