Plant regeneration from anther derived callus cultures of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.)

SummaryGinger anthers collected at the uninucleate microspore stage were subjected to a cold treatment (08) for 7.d and induced to develop profuse callus on MS medium supplemented with 2–3 mg l–1 2, 4-D. Plantlets could be regenerated from these calli on MS medium supplemented with 5–10 mg l–1 BAP and 0.2 mg l–1 2,4-D. The regenerated plantlets could be established in soil with 85% success, when they were planted in potting mixture of garden soil, sand and vermiculite in equal proportions and kept in a humid chamber initially for 22–30 d. This is the first report of successful regeneration of plants from ginger anther cultures and the protocol can be used for possible development of androgenic haploids and dihaploids in ginger.