Production of artificial seeds derived from encapsulated in vitro micro shoots of cauliflower, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis

A high number of micro shoots (21 +/- 2.31) of Brassica oleracea var. botrytis (cauliflower) were obtained when hypocotyl explants from 2-week-old aseptic seedlings were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L NAA and 5 mg/L BAP. Artificial or synthetic seeds were formed when the micro shoots were encapsulated in 4 (w/v) sodium alginate with 100 mM CaCl2 as complexing solution. The artificial seeds took 12 days (after 7 days storage) and 14 days (after 30 days storage) to germinate on MS basal medium. The germination percentage of artificial seeds was enhanced by the inclusion of 0.3 mg/L NAA and 3.0 mg/L BAP in the encapsulation matrix after 7 and 30 days of pre-germination storage. The time taken for germination was also faster (5 days after 7 days of storage and 11 days after 30 days of storage) when MS fortified with 0.3 mg/L NAA and 3.0mg/L BAP were used. Isolated micro shoots encapsulated in MS supplemented with 0.3 mg/L NAA and 3.0mg/L BAP gave high germination percentages (70 +/- 5.43 and 63.33 +/- 4.17) after 7 and 30 days of pre-germination storage period, respectively. Complete plant regeneration was achieved from the germination of these artificial seeds derived from the micro shoots after 3-4 weeks in culture