Factors influencing plant regeneration from seedling explants of Hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides)

Hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides) has the potential to be a model system for the study of plant-pathogen interactions, however, the availability of tissue culture and transformation methods would strengthen its utility. For the development of tissue culture methods, we investigated, explant type (cotyledons, hypocotyls, roots), hypocotyl explant origin, cotyledon orientation (abaxial vs. adaxial) in direct contact with the medium, gelling agents (agar and agargel) and cytokinins (zeatin and 6-benzyladenine) at different concentrations. Cotyledon explants resulted in the greatest biomass as compared to root and hypocotyl. As for hypocotyl explant origin, explants proximal to the cotyledons had a significant effect on plant regeneration. However, cotyledon orientation and gelling agent had no effect on plant regeneration. Medium supplemented with either zeatin or 6-benzyladenine at 1 mg L^-1 resulted in significant shoot regeneration. Shoots rooted readily when cultured on a non-hormone based rooting medium.