SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS

Somatic embryogenesis is the process of regeneration of a plant through the formation of embryo-like structures induced from somatic cells or gametes. Somatic embryos usually originate from a single competent cell and develop to form globular phases, livers, torpedoes, and finally become mature somatic embryos ready to be germinated to form plantlets/whole plants. Physiologically and morphologically, somatic embryos experience the same stages of embryonic development as zygotic embryos. Somatic embryogenesis in modern breeding is very important because it can regenerate a plant cell that has been manipulated either by transformation or modification into a complete plant, so that the plant cell can be regenerated into a complete plant and display the changes. Almost all plant competent cells can be induced to become embryogenic cells because plant cells have the ability totipotent cells. Cell totipotency is the ability of a single cell to form a complete plant.

Somatic embryogenesis can be carried out in two ways, namely direct and indirect. Somatic embryogenesis directly includes the formation of an embryo from a single cell or group of cells without going through callus formation, while somatic embryos that are formed indirectly are the formation of embryos through callus. The special feature of the somatic embryo is that it has a bipolar texture, which means it is able to form two candidate meristems, namely the root meristem and the shoot meristem. The stages of somatic embryogenesis include several phases, namely the globular phase, the scutellar phase, and the coleoptilar phase. The globular phase is formed after the cell has undergone division and the protoderm is clearly visible. Subsequent development of the globular embryo can be characterized by the formation of scutellar nodes which indicate the formation of the scutellar phase. In the next stage, the number of cell layers in the scutellum increases and a coleoptile appears. The stage of emergence of the coleoptile is the coleoptilar phase. Somatic embryogenesis also has several specific stages, including embryogenic callus induction, maturation and germination.

Source :

Kosmiatin, M., Agus, P., Gustaff, A.W., Dan Ika, M. 2014. Induksi Embriogenesis Somatik Dari Jaringan Endosperma Jeruk Siam (Citrus Nobilis Lour.) cv Simadu. Jurnal Agronomi Indonesia, 42(1): 44-51.

Lestari, E.G. 2011. Peranan Zat Pengatur Tumbuh Dalam Perbanyakan Tanaman Melalui Kultur Jaringan. Jurnal Agrobiogen, 7(1): 63-68.

Sulastri, Winda, N., Djatmiko, P., Dan Henti, R. 2019. Embriogenesis Somatik In Vitrodan Regenerasi Planlet Dari Tiga Varietas Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.). Jurnal Bioteknologi & Biosains Indonesia, 6(1): 83-92.