Micropropagation of Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua): Somatic Embryogenesis from Immature Seeds

Vassiliki Georgiou, Chrysanthi Chimona, Sophia Rhizopoulou

Somatic embryos of carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) were induced from segments excised from immature seeds when cultured on Murashige and Skoog (M.S.) medium supplemented with a gradient of concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). Roots and shoots were also formed in the same media. Besides culture media composition, the developmental stage of the explants showed a strong influence on somatic embryogenesis, with embryos and cotyledons providing high levels of induction; thus, elevated frequencies of development occurred on culture media containing various concentrations of BA. The presence of morphologically normal and abnormal somatic embryos was also observed. Upon transfer into full- and half-strength M.S. medium supplemented with sucrose (3%), plantlets were coming through embryos. Attempts to induce embryogenic callus from immature seeds of carob tree were successful. The resulting outgrowths were very high in embryogenetic potential from green immature seeds of carob tree and expants transferred into M.S. enriched with B.A. developed a large number of somatic embryos.