Regeneration of Pineapple (cv. Kew) and Genetic Fidelity of Organogenesis and Somatic Embryogenesis‐Derived Plantlets

Abstract

Pineapple ( Ananas comosus L. Merr.) is mainly propagated through crowns, slips and suckers. However, the availability of healthy and genetically uniform planting material is limited in cv. “Kew”, which has poor suckering behavior. The present study was conducted to develop regeneration protocols through organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis and to check the genetic fidelity of regenerated plants using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Surface sterilization with 0.2% HgCl 2 for 12 min gave the best culture establishment (60%). For organogenesis, Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 4.5 mg/L 6‐benzylaminopurine (BAP) + 0.5 mg/L α‐naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) gave the best response for shoot multiplication and growth. Somatic embryogenesis was highest on MS medium with 3.0 mg/L BAP, while rooting was best on half‐strength MS medium containing 1.5 mg/L indole‐3‐butyric acid (IBA). Somatic embryogenesis produced 10.67 embryos per explant, compared with 5.33 shoots per explant through organogenesis under the respective best treatments. Genetic fidelity was assessed using six SSR markers, and no polymorphism was detected at the SSR loci examined between the mother plant and the tested regenerants. The study provides a useful regeneration protocol combining organogenesis, somatic embryogenesis, and SSR‐based assessment for multiplication of genetically uniform pineapple cv. “Kew” planting material.