Induction and Biochemical Parameters of Callus Growth from Three Peanut Cultivars1

Abstract The phytohormones 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, naphthalene acetic acid and kinetin nave been employed to induce callus growth from the cotyledon tissue of three commercial peanut cultivars: ‘Early Bunch’ (EB), ‘NC-Fla 14’ (NC) and ‘Florunner’ (FR). Cultivar specific parameters have been examined for both cotyledon and callus tissue. The relative growth rates of callus tissues were always EB>NC>FR. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis performed on the proteins from both types of tissue demonstrated mat most cultivar specific differences seen in cotyledon tissue are maintained by callus tissue from the same plant. However, more high molecular weight protein fractions were observed in cotyledon tissue than in callus. Amino acid analysis of these tissues revealed a higher concentration of neutral and aromatic amino acids in cotyledon while callus tissue was higher in basic amino acids.