Micropropagation of Medicinal Woody Eleutherococcus pedunculus via Somatic Embryogenesis

Zygotic embryos just after harvest of seeds were immature globular to heart stage. Maturation of zygotic embryos rapidly proceed when zygotic embryos together with small excised parts of endosperm were cultured on 1/3-strength MS solid medium with 2% sucrose, and the zygotic embryos were germinated within two months. Embryogenic callus was formed from the excised segments of germinating zygotic embryos of Eleutherococcus pedunclus on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with $4.5{\mu}M$ 2,4-D. The embryogenic callus formation occurred at a low frequency (less than 7%) from hypocotyl segments. The embryogenic calli were maintained on the same medium as primary medium. High frequency somatic embryogenesis was obtained after the cells were transferred to medium lacking 2,4-D. Cotyledonary embryos were germinated and converted into plantlets on medium with $20{\mu}M$ $GA_3$. Embryogenic callus and somatic embryos were produced spontaneously on the surfaces of roots and/or hypocotyls of plantlets. The frequency of embryogenic callus formation was 85% in roots and 34% in hypocotyls. Therefore maintain of cell lines performed very easily. Plantlets with developed epicotyls at more than 3 cm acclimatized at high frequency (89%). While plantlets with small epicotyls (less than 1 cm) were acclimatized at low rate (32%). The soil survived plantlets produced new sprouts after over wintering in the field.