In Depth Study for Developing Efficient Direct Somatic Embryogenesis of Jatropha Curcas L.: Morphology and Ultrastructure

This is the first report on direct somatic embryogenesis of Jatropha curcas L. For in depth study, morphological observation was performed by inverted microscopy whereas ultrastructural observation was conducted by transmission electron microscopy. The somatic embryos derived from single cells, which divided, developed into embryo proper with suspensor, ECS (Embryogenic cell suspension), proembryo, globular embryo, heart and torpedo stage embryo.The shoot and plantlet developed when the ECS was plated on embryo induction medium I, embryo induction medium II and embryo germination medium, consecutively. The highest germination percentage was 63.3 % on IG 4-gamborg medium supplemented with 3 ppm GA3 and 1 ppm IAA. The highest shoot development was on IG 4-gamborg (60%) and the highest plantlet development was on IG 4-glutamin (6.7%). The reason of low percentage of plantlet development was revealed by observing the ultrastructural features of the embryogenic cells and the somatic embryos. Character of the embryogenic cells and somatic embryo was forming deposit material in the vacuole. The deposit material inhibited cellular metabolism of the cells. Index Term-- Jatropha curcas, direct somatic embryogenesis in liquid medium, deposit material