title: High Frequency of Plant Regeneration through Cyclic Secondary Somatic Embryogenesis in Panax ginseng.
abstract: Somatic embryogenesis is one of good examples of the basic research for plant embryo development as well as an important technique for plant biotechnology such as medicinally important plants. Single embryos develop into normal plantlets with shoots and roots. Therefore, direct single embryogenesis derived from single cells is highly important for normal plant regeneration. Here we demonstrate that the cyclic secondary somatic embryogenesis in Panax ginseng Meyer is a permanent source of embryogenic material that can be used for genetic manipulations. Secondary somatic embryos were originated directly from the primary somatic embryos on hormone-free Murashige and Skoog medium, and proliferated further in a cyclic manner. EM medium (one third of modified MS medium [MS medium containing half amount of NH4NO3 and KNO3] with 2% to 3% sucrose) favored further development of proliferated secondary somatic embryos into plantlets with root system. The plantlets developed into plants with well-developed taproots in half-strength Schenk and Hildebrandt basal medium supplemented with 0.5% activated charcoal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oriental Medicinal Materials and Processing, College of Life Science, Kyung Hee University, Suwon 449-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ok Ran
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyung-Tack
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Deok-Chun
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Yang
keywords: Cyclic secondary somatic embryogenesis; Panax ginseng Meyer; Regeneration; Somatic embryo