EN
An effective protocol was developed for in vitro propagation of Psoralea corylifolia via somatic embryogenesis in cell suspension culture. Embryogenic callus was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6 µM naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 30 µM glutamine from transverse TCLs from 10-day-old hypocotyl explants with a 96.4% frequency. Embryogenic callus produced a higher number of somatic embryos (123.7 ± 1.24 per gram fresh weight callus) onMS medium containing 30 g l⁻¹ sucrose, 1 µM NAA, 4 µM benzyladenine (BA), 15 µM glutamine and 2 µM abscisic acid (ABA) after 4 weeks of culture. Somatic embryos successfully germinated (97.6%) on ½ MS medium containing 20 g l⁻¹ sucrose, 8 g l⁻¹ agar and supplemented with 2 µM BA, 1 µM ABA and 2 µM gibberellic acid (GA₃) within 2 weeks of culture. Somatic embryos developed into normal plants, which hardened with 100% efficiency in soil in a growth chamber. Plants were successfully transferred to greenhouse and subsequently established in the field. Plant survival percentage in the field differed with seasonal variations. Average psoralen content of 12.9 µg g⁻¹ DW was measured in different stages of somatic embryo development by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This protocol will be helpful for efficient propagation of elite clones on a mass scale, conservation efforts of this species and for secondary metabolites production studies.