African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 5 (5), pp. 437-439, 1 March 2006   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2006 Academic Journals        

Short Communication

Organogenesis induction in rice callus by cyanobacterial extracellular product

A. Manickavelu^*, N. Nadarajan, S.K. Ganesh, R. Ramalingam and S. Raguraman and R.P. Gnanamalar

Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Madurai – 625 104, Tamil Nadu, India.

^*Corresponding author. Email: agromanicks@rediffmail.com. Phone: 00818055389047.

Abbreviations: 2, 4-D, 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; CEP, cyanobacterial extracellular products; MS, Murashige and Skoog’s medium.

Accepted 13 December, 2005

Cyanobacteria or blue green algae are prokaryotic photosynthetic microorganism that produces a wide array of substances, including plant growth regulators. In the case of growth regulators, gibberellin, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, abscisic acid and jasmonic acid have been detected in cyanobacteria. Many substances have been added to plant tissue culture media in order to promote plant regeneration. The present research communication gives a report of the study of the effect of extracellular products of Plectonema sp., isolated from paddy fields on regeneration of rice. The endosperm of three rice varieties, IR 50, ASD 16 and ADT 36, were used as explants. IR 50 showed earlier and good callus induction response in MS medium. For root induction, cyanobaterial extracellular product was added instead of 2,4-D. The result showed that the number of days taken for root initiation and root growth was quicker by adding the extracellular products. Interestingly, more proliferation of roots in cyanobaterial extracellular product treatments was also observed compared to 2,4-D which might due to the production of growth regulators like auxin(s). Tremendous growth of root length and volume in short period indicate that MS with cyanobaterial extracellular product may also be used for screening of rice genotypes for water stress condition.

Key words:     Callus induction, cyanobacterial extracellular products, Plectonema sp., rice, root induction.