Abstract

Ikram-ul-Haq and Yusuf Zafar

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cv Coker-312 callus culture was assessed in terms of its usefulness as a system for investigating the effect of nitrates from different chemical compounds of nitrogen on embryo induction percentage in calli as the plant growth and cell differentiation mainly based on nitrogen. Both sources and amount of nitrogen in in vitro medium have significant effects mainly on cell growth, embryogenesis and the production of anthocyanin. Anthocyanin production is the best indication of inhibition of cell growth in in vitro culture of cotton. Embryo induction rate was high when NH4NO3 was eliminated from the medium but in the presence of KNO3. The dicotyledenary embryos were developed with in 5 weeks, these embryos developed into normal plantlets immediately when they were cultured on a simple MS basal medium supplemented with 3% glucose.