Plant regeneration by somatic embryogenesis from cultured young inflorescenses of Sorghum arundinaceum (Desv.) stapf. var. Sudanense (sudan grass)

Somatic embryogenesis and subsequent plant regeneration was obtained from cultured young inflorescence segments of Sorghum arundinaceum var. sudanense (sudan grass). The inflorescences (10–50 mm in length) were cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with 0.01–5.0 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). A compact nodular callus and somatic embryos arose predominantly from the rachis. The best response was obtained from inflorescences 10 mm in length. Somatic embryos developed in 72% of the cultures on medium containing 1.0 mg/l 2,4-D. Regenerated plants were normal phenotypically and had 2n=20 chromosome number.