摘要
Several protocols have been published for somatic embryogenesis in maize. It is essential to compare different protocols on selected germplasm at initial stages of tissue culture to identify a protocol that would yield optimum results. The ultimate goal is to use in vitro system for selecting and generating stress tolerant maize germplasm. Immature embryos of the elite inbred lines of maize （87014 ×Z28-11 and POP43SRS5-57） were cultured on three different semi-solid media （0.5% agar） and the effectiveness of the media for somatic embryogenesis assessed over a period two weeks of sub-culturing. A significant difference was observed among the media in proportion of potentially embryogenic calli and callus cluster size at 1 and 2 weeks after culturing. N6 medium supplemented with casaminoacid （100 mg/L）, 2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid （1 mg/L）, L-proline （25 mM） and sucrose （2%）, and Murashige and Skoog （MS） medium supplemented with 2, 4-D （2 mg/L） and sucrose （3%） gave higher proportion of potentially embryogenic calli and callus size than MS medium supplemented with casaminoacids （100 mg/L）, 2, 4-D （2 mg/L）, abscissic acid （3.3μM）, and silver nitrate （195 μM） and sucrose （3%）. The difference between genotypes is not significant
