An efficient protocol for the production of triploid plants from endosperm callus of neem, Azadirachta indica A. Juss.

Triploid plants of neem were obtained by immature endosperm culture. Immature seeds, at the early dicotyledonous stage of embryo development, is the best explant to raise endosperm callus on MS + NAA (5 mumol/L) + BAP (2 mumol/L) + CH (500 mg L-1). Maximum shoot bud differentiation from the endosperm callus occurred on MS + 5 mumol/L BAP. Shoots were multiplied by forced axillary branching and rooted in vitro. The plants were established in soil. Over 66% of the plants were triploid with chromosome number 2n = 3x = 36. A characteristic feature of the shoots of endosperm origin is the presence of a large number of multi-cellular glands.