Efficient plant regeneration from cotyledon explants of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Standl.).

Using cotyledon explants excised from seedlings germinated in vitro, an efficient plant regeneration system via organogenesis was established for bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Standl.). Maximum shoot regeneration was obtained when the proximal parts of cotyledons from 4-day-old seedlings were cultured on MS medium with 3 mg/l BA and 0.5 mg/l AgNO(3) under a 16-h photoperiod. After 3-4 weeks of culture, 21.9-80.7% of explants from the five cultivars regenerated shoots. Adventitious shoots were successfully rooted on a half-strength MS medium with 0.1 mg/l IAA for 2-3 weeks. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that most of the regenerated plants derived from culture on medium with AgNO(3) were diploid.