LAUSR

Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum, Family Polygonaceae) is an annual pseudo-cereal crop with healing benefits. However, the genetic improvement of common buckwheat has achieved only limited success, mainly due to buckwheat’s dimorphic flowers and heteromorphic self-incompatibility. Here, we develop a useful protocol for indirect somatic embryogenesis and subsequent plant regeneration from hypocotyl explants of F. esculentum. Firstly, the initial calli of hypocotyl explants were induced on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing 2.0 mgL−1 2,4-D and 1.5 mgL−1 6-BA for 30 days culture, and then the yellowish white friable embryogenic calli were developed when the initial calli were transferred to fresh MS basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mgL−1 6-BA and 0.5 mgL−1 thidiazuron (TDZ)two to three times subculture at 40–60 days intervals. Subsequently, the somatic embryos were able to germinate from embryogenic callus sub-cultured on MS basal medium containing 1.0 mgL−1 6-BA and 0.5 mgL−1 TDZ with 15% potato puree for 20 days subculture. Finally, maximum mean percentage (75.75%) of somatic embryo-derived plants were obtained when the mature somatic embryos were transferred to MS basal medium without growth regulators for 40 days culture. Our result provides a useful protocol for plant regeneration and SE from hypocotyl explants of F. esculentum.