When the proper stimuli are given, somatic plant cells may form adventitious embryos, roots or shoots. The three pathways of regeneration show apparent similarities. They consist of three analogous phases: 1) dedifferentiation (during which the tissue becomes competent to respond to the organogenic/embryogenic stimulus), 2) induction (during which cells become determined to form either a root, a shoot or an embryo), and 3) realization (outgrowth to an organ or an embryo). The first phase may involve a period of callus growth (indirect regeneration), but often cells present in the explant become competent without cell division or without cell division at a large scale (direct regeneration). In an explant, only very few cells show the organogenic/embryogenic response. In direct regeneration, the three regenerative pathways start from cells in different tissues. This is most obvious when the different types of regeneration occur in the same explant. The hormonal trigger for the dedifferentiation phase is a general one, probably auxin. During the induction phase, each pathway requires specific hormonal triggers. During the realization phase, hormones should be absent or at low concentration. The successive steps in the regeneration process coincide with events on the molecular and biochemical levels, but so far no coherent picture has emerged. In particular during the early stages of regeneration, research on these levels is hampered by a technical problem, viz., the very low proportion of cells that participate in the process of regeneration. New methods may overcome this problem.

Shoot tips, cotyledonary nodes and hypocotyls of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) were grown on 3 media: plant induction medium (PIM), callus induction medium (CIM), and shoot induction medium (SIM). Maximum growth and differentiation was seen in PIM, whereas minimum was observed in CIM. Shoot tips which differentiated to multiple shoots evolved negligible amounts of ethylene. Maximum ethylene evolution was recorded by hypocotyls in PIM. Ethylene appears to have stimulatory effect on shoot bud differentiation in cotyledonary nodes. But in hypocotyls, increased ethylene inhibited growth and differentiation. Calli on media containing only auxin (PIM) evolved significantly more ethylene, whereas those on media with cytokinin (SIM) evolved more methane. Callus forming explants like cotyledonary nodes and hypocotyls evolve more ethylene than shoot tips.

Two sets of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) substitution lines for the homoeologous group 5 chromosomes, 5A, 5B and 5D, carrying vernalization genes (Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1, Vrn-D1) were used to study the relationship between vernalization requirement and winter survival, with respect to the induction and maintenance of frost tolerance. Substitution lines carrying dominant Vrn loci substituted from the spring cultivars Zlatka (5A), Chinese Spring (5D) and the alternative cultivar Česká Přesívka (5B) into three different winter wheat backgrounds, Vala, Košútka and Zdar, showed lower winter survival by 20, 36, and 41 % for substitutions of 5B, 5A and 5D, respectively, compared to the original winter cultivars. Reciprocal substitution lines between two winter cultivars Mironovskaya 808 and Bezostaya 1 carrying different recessive alleles, vrn-A1, vrn-B1, vrn-D1, did not exhibit a modified induction of frost tolerance, but the duration of good frost tolerance, as well as the ability to survive the whole winter, was changed. In accordance with the model suggesting that genes for vernalization act as a master switch regulating the duration of frost tolerance, substitutions of homoeologous group 5 chromosomes induced, at first, frost tolerance at a level equal to the parental cultivar, and then, relative to the different extent of saturation of vernalization requirement, they gradually lost both frost tolerance and their ability to re-induce significant frost tolerance with a drop in temperature following warm periods in the winter.

An efficient and reproducible protocol for regeneration of plantlets at a high frequency was developed by using sugar cane buds. Disinfected buds were firstly submerged in ethanol sodium hypochlorite solution with 0.1 % polyvinylpyrrolidone, 1.5 % ascorbic acid and 1.75 % citric acid as antioxidants and subsequently treated with solution of agrimicin:captan (1:1). The upper stalk segment was better to obtain bud in vitro culture compared to lower segments. The medium for induction of multiple shoots consisted of Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) supplemented with 2 mg dm^-3 thidiazuron and 1 mg dm^-3 naphthalene acetic acid. An average of 24 shoots per bud was obtained for cv. Mex 68-P23 within four weeks and 29 shoots for cv. MY 55-14 within six weeks. Indole-3-butyric acid induced more roots in both cultivars compared to the untreated plantlets. Plantlets transferred to soil showed normal growth with up to four axilliary buds in each node. It was concluded that the germplasm obtained through the above mentioned technique generated stalks with more buds in each node which would give farmers more vegetative material for plantations in field with 100 % germination.

The effects of three cytokinins, kinetin 4.5 μM (Kin), 6-benzylaminopurine 4.5 μM (BA) and N-phenyl-N'1,2,3- thiadiazol-5-yl-urea 4.5 μM (TDZ), and the effects of different treatment duration on the regeneration of adventitious shoots from quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) leaves were studied. In a first experiment, leaves treated with Kin for 0, 8, 16 and 24 d were transferred to BA or TDZ-containing growth medium. In a second experiment TDZ applied for 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24 d was followed by BA. All treatments included 0.5 μM α -naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). In the sequence Kin-BA, the production of adventitious shoots decreased and reddish-coloured nodular structures (RNS) of meristematic appearance increased with increasing duration of Kin treatment, while somatic embryo formation was optimal at 8 d. In the Kin-TDZ sequence, shoot production was initially pronounced, but it declined with increasing duration of the Kin treatment, while the number of roots, somatic embryos and RNS increased. TDZ-BA treatments induced marked shoot production, which gradually increased with increasing duration of TDZ treatment. The presence of TDZ and a long treatment duration appeared to be very important factors in inducing caulogenesis. Kin appeared to be effective in shoot induction but not in shoot development; the results of this work demonstrate that RNS were adventitious shoots blocked at an early developmental stage on account of insufficient cytokinin activity. BA was less effective than TDZ in inducing shoot regeneration. Finally, both Kin and BA applied after 2,4-D treatment promoted somatic embryo induction.

The leaves of pepper (Capsicum anuum L.) were inoculated with Phytophthora capsici Leonian 3 d after treatment with acibenzolar-S-methylbenzo [1,2,3]thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid-S-methyl ester (ASM) and resistance to Phytophthora blight disease was investigated. Results showed that P. capsici was significantly inhibited by ASM treatment by up to 45 % in planta. The pepper plants responded to ASM treatments by rapid and transient induction of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), increase in total phenol content and activities of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase. No significant increases in enzyme activities were observed in water-treated control plants compared with the ASM-treated plants. Therefore it may be suggested that ASM induces defense-related enzymes, PAL activity, PR proteins and phenol accumulation in ASM-treated plants and contribute to enhance resistance against P. capsici.

The effect of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA₃) applications on parthenocarpic fruit set in Rosa canina and Diospyros lotus was investigated. GA₃ induced parthenocarpic fruit set in both plants, but IAA only in D. lotus. Maturation of seedless fruits was earlier than the seeded fruits. GA₃ caused a decrease in the fresh mass and size of both fruits. IAA induced an increase in the fresh mass and size in parthenocarpic fruit of D. lotus.

Nodal explant cultures from field-grown five jojoba genotypes (EC 99690, EC 99692, EC 99692, EC 267779 and EC 171284; male and female plants), could be established on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The nodal explants of different genotypes as well as sex elicited differential requirements of N⁶-benzyladenine (BA) for optimum shoot regeneration and medium-term conservation. Female nodal explants of EC 99692 produced maximum shoots (10 shoots per explant) followed by male of EC 171284 (9.3 shoots per explant) on MS + 10 μM BA. The pulse treatment of 50 μM indole-3-butyric acid for 20 min caused in vitro rhizogenesis in 44 - 67 % cultures of various genotypes tested. A significant difference was observed for the conservation period of male and female cultures of all the genotypes. MS + 10 μM BA supported the shoot cultures of EC 99690, EC 99691 and EC 267779 for maximum conservation period, while MS + 5 μM BA proved to be optimum for conserving the shoots of EC 99692 and EC 171284. Generally, the female shoot cultures of genotypes survived for longer period than male ones.

Somatic embryogenesis of European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) was obtained using juvenile tissue cultured on P24 medium with 5 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid plus 0.5 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) for three weeks and then cultured on 0.89 μM BA. Induction frequency with ovaries ranged from 2.0 to 19.1 % and was observed in tissue collected 2 to 8 weeks postanthesis, ovules used as a starting tissue gained 0.8 to 7.8 %, 3 to 9 weeks postanthesis. Zygotic embryos collected 5 to 10 weeks postanthesis formed 10.5 to 57.1 % somatic embryos, respectively. The culture lines were maintained via secondary embryogenesis on P24 medium with 0.89 μM BA. Development and maturation were stimulated on P24 medium with increased agar concentration (1.1 %). Five plantlets were transferred to substrate and acclimatized successfully in greenhouse.

In order to establish an efficient system for in vitro plant regeneration of a short day plant Chenopodium rubrum L. and a long day plant Chenopodium murale L., optimum culture conditions for somatic embryogenesis were investigated. The effects of different growth regulators, their combination and their concentrations on somatic embryos induction in different explant types (root, hypocotyl, cotyledon and leaf) were tested. Somatic embryogenesis was induced in both plants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with sucrose (3 %), agar (0.7 %) and 1 - 10 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) as the sole growth regulator. The largest embryogenic capacity was found in root explants of Chenopodium rubrum on 1 μM 2,4-D and in basal parts of cotyledons in C. murale plants on 10 μM 2,4-D.

Multiple shoots were induced from the cotyledonary nodes derived from seedling of Sesbania rostrata on Nitsch (1969; N) medium supplemented with various concentrations of benzyladenine (BA). 1 mg dm^-3 BA proved to be the best, eliciting 5.8 ± 1.0 shoots per explant in 100 % cultures. The elongation of shoots was best at 2.0 mg dm^-3 BA. The shoot proliferation capacity increased to 7.5 shoots per explant following transfer of explants to the fresh shoot multiplication medium (MS + 1.0 mg dm^-3 BA), after an initial incubation of 30 d. To further enhance number of shoots per explant an alternative strategy of cultivation of mother explant on fresh shoot multiplication medium after excision of shoots was adopted. Following the repeated harvesting of shoots an average of 33 shoots per explant could be obtained. The in vitro regenerated shoots produced roots when transferred to half-strength MS medium supplemented with 3 % sucrose and 1 mg dm^-3 IBA. The developed plantlets were planted in the soil and transferred to the field after an acclimatization period of 3 - 4 months. These plants produced flowers and fruits in the field and exhibited the development of prominent and more organized stem nodules as compared to the in vivo raised plants of the same age.

The effect of different radiation sources - blue (B), red (R), R plus B (RB), B plus far red (BFr), R plus far red (RFr) - was tested on the growth of hairy roots and betalain accumulation in Beta vulgaris L. (red beet). Light emitting diodes were used as radiation sources. The growth of hairy roots under different radiation treatments depended on radiation quality. Highest biomass accumulation was under the BFr treatment. BFr treatment efficiently induced betalain pigmentation in hairy roots. Total sugar and sucrose contents of hairy roots were also greater in this treatment. Thus, the betalain pigmentation in the cultured hairy roots can be influenced by radiation quality and BFr is most suitable for accumulation of betalains.

The in vitro regeneration of three flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) breeding lines (cv. Jitka, cv. Areco and NLN 245) and selection of transgenic plants were studied. A. tumefaciens derived binary vector GV3101 (pPM90RK)(pPCVRN4) bearing tetramer of 35S promoter enhancer was used in transformation experiments. Following 3 weeks of cultivation on shoot inducing Murashige and Skoog agar medium containing BAP (0.1 µM) and NAA (0.005 µM) from 82.6 % to 98 % of hypocotyl segments formed shoots. While ticarcillin (500 mg dm^-3) used to eliminate Agrobacterium following the transformation decreased the organogenic response by about 10 % only, the addition of 20 mg dm^-3 hygromycin to ticarcillin efficiently suppressed the regeneration of untransformed control plants. To look up for genomic mutations caused by T-DNA insertion from Agrobacterium transformation or originated from somaclonal variation over 500 regenerated plants have been cloned, transferred into soil and evaluated especially for their morphological characteristics. Up to now among plants of cv. Areco-background at least 8 genotypes showed changes either in flower or filament and stigma colour and one clone of plants with pollen sterility was identified. Among fifty four plant clones evaluated in 7 clones the presence of transgene specific sequence hpt was detected and simultaneously Agrobacterium contamination of tissues was firmly excluded.

Two spring barley cultivars, Golden Promise and Galan, were screened for callus induction and shoot regeneration from cultured immature inflorescences. Genotype Galan have better regeneration capacity in in vitro conditions than Golden Promise.

The lignin content of walnut shoots did not change during in vitro shoot multiplication. Lignin content started to increase as soon as shoots were passed to a rooting medium with auxin. Exogenous auxin (applied for rooting) caused a transient elevation of the endogenous free indoleacetic acid (IAA) content with a simultaneous decrease of peroxidase activity. These events typically marked the completion of the rooting inductive phase (before any visible histological event, that is before the cell divisions beginning the rooting initiation phase). This meant that either the given exogenous auxin or the endogenous IAA has served as signal for the stimulation of lignification. Continued increase of lignification in the shoots required completion of root formation; this increase indeed was slown down when root emergence did not occur. It was further shown that lignification varied conversely to the content of the soluble phenol content, itself apparently being related to the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity.

The purpose of this research is micropropagation of Ginkgo biloba L. Apical and nodal meristems removed from plantlets or apical buds from a tree were used as explants. Meristems produced an extensive callus and single or rare multiple shoots on Murashige and Skoog medium with different growth regulators and endosperm extract (En) obtained from mature seeds of the same species. For successful root production it was necessary to transfer the shoots to a rooting medium with En.

A protein with an apparent molecular mass of 30 kDa that cross-reacts with barley glucanase antiserum was detected in healthy leaves of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). When sorghum leaves were infected with Exserohilum turcicum, the causal agent of leaf blight, the 30-kDa glucanase was substantially induced. The 30-kDa glucanase was partially purified from sorghum leaves using ammonium sulfate fractionation and anion exchange chromatography on DEAE-sephacel. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 30-kDa glucanase shows homology to glucanases of maize, barley, bean, soybean, tobacco and pea. The purified 30-kDa glucanase showed antifungal activity against Trichoderma viride.

We employed continuous irradiation (CL) for induction of premature senescence caused by enhanced production of reactive oxygen species. As a model plant we used bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Jantar) cotyledons because they have well defined and a quite short life span. Senescence of bean cotyledons induced by CL progressed more rapidly than natural senescence: the life span of CL cotyledons was 13 d compared to 16 d in controls (C). Chl content was significantly lower in 10- and 13-d-old CL plants than in C plants and the change with age was not statistically significant. Activities of all antioxidative enzymes declined either with senescence onset or during whole life span. Activity of antioxidative enzymes, except ascorbate peroxidase, was lower in CL plants compared to C plants. On the contrary, contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants β-carotene and ascorbate were higher in CL plants than in C plants. No significant difference, except in the youngest cotyledons, was observed in glutathione content.

Effect of pre-treatments of 1 and 5 μM epibrassinolide or homobrassinolide prior to water stress induction on changes in root nodulation and contents of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and cytokinin trans-zeatin riboside (ZR), and nitrogenase activity was investigated in the nodulated roots of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Arka Suvidha. Brassinosteroids in the unstressed plants increased root nodulation, ZR content and nitrogenase activity, and also ameliorated their stress-induced decline in the nodulated roots. The ABA contents in the nodules of control or stressed plants were not altered by brassinosteroids treatment. There was an increase in pod yield by brassinosteroids treatment (5 μM) in the irrigated control as well as stressed plants without influencing pod number or pod length. Among the brassinosteroids, epibrassinolide was relatively more effective.

Embryogenic suspension cultures of soybean (Glycine max L. cv. Iroquois) were subjected to mutagenesis using varying concentrations (1, 3, 10, and 30 mM) of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). Depending on the concentration of EMS used, the mean survival rate of embryogenic cultures decreased from 74 % (1 mM EMS) to 43 % after 30 mM EMS treatment. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to determine whether induction of genetic variability in embryogenic cultures in response to the different EMS treatments may result in identification of polymorphic markers. Two of 35 'core' primers tested revealed polymorphisms. One of the primers, OPO-01/1150, revealed polymorphism in tissue treated with 10 mM EMS, while the other primer, OPO-05/1200, revealed polymorphism in tissue treated with either 1 or 30 mM EMS. These results suggest that RAPD markers are useful in detecting mutations in embryogenic cultures of soybean.

Growth and activities of peroxidases, chitinases and glucanases were studied in order to evaluate the response of calli and roots of pink root-susceptible Allium cepa cvs. Valcatorce and T-412 and resistant A. fistulosum cv. Nogiwa Negi, to sterile culture filtrates of Phoma terrestris. Untreated calli and roots of A. fistulosum exhibited higher activity of peroxidases and glucanases than that of Valcatorce and T-412. Enzyme activities and growth of roots and calli were not affected in filtrate-treated A. fistulosum. The growth of calli and roots of A. cepa cultivars decreased significantly after exposure to P. terrestris filtrates while the peroxidase and glucanase activities increased. Peroxidase and glucanase activities were also enhanced in roots of Valcatorce bulbs grown in P. terrestris-inoculated soil as compared to healthy control plants. We conclude that a high constitutive activity of glucanases and perhaps chitinases might account for the resistance of A. fistulosum. The differential reaction (with respect to root growth) of pink root-susceptible and resistant materials to culture filtrates indicates that this in vitro-system might be useful for the screening of onion breeding lines.

The effect of application of jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) on the induction of resistance in wheat to Stagonospora nodorum and on the induction of μ-1,3-glucanase and thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) was studied. Western blot analysis revealed that two β-1,3-glucanases with apparent molecular masses of 31 and 33 kDa that cross-reacted with a barley glucanase antiserum were induced in wheat leaves after treatment with JA and SA. When wheat plants were treated with SA and JA, a TLP with an apparent molecular mass of 25 kDa and several other isoforms of TLP were induced. Pre-treatment of wheat plants with SA and JA significantly reduced (up to 56 %) the incidence of leaf blotch disease incited by S. nodorum compared with untreated control plants.

Somatic embryogenesis was initiated from immature zygotic embryos of intraspecific cross ofAbies alba and interspecific combination ofAbies alba x Abies nordmanniana. The most responsive explants for induction of embryogenic calli were zygotic embryos in precotyledonary stage of development. Biochemically the compared embryogenic lines were uniform irrespective of their morphology or embryogenic potential. The flow cytometric analysis of single embryogenic lines suggests that no changes in ploidy levels occur during induction and culture of embryogenic callus inAbies alba what confirms the convenience of this system for propagation of valuable seed material.

With the imposition of salt stress (0.5 to 3 % NaCl or CaCl₂) a decrease in germination rate and accumulation of proline was observed in the root tissue. Both NaCl and CaCl₂ solutions induced an increase in the total peroxide content and lipid peroxidation and decrease in catalase, guaiacol peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities in root tissues suggesting an oxidative stress in the salt sensitive rice cultivar.

Mature zygotic embryos of Paspalum scrobiculatum L. cv. PSC 1 on MS or N₆ nutrient medium supplemented with various concentrations of 2,4-D (4.5 - 22.5 µM) formed embryogenic callus, which differentiated into somatic embryos within 5 weeks of culture. The somatic embryos after transfer to hormone-free regeneration medium germinated and formed plantlets. Of the two nutrient formulations, N₆ was relatively better than MS for somatic embryogenesis. A culture for 11 d on 100 µM 2,4-D was essential for the establishment of an embryogenic callus. Shorter duration, 4-d or 7-d culture on 2,4-D medium, supported some proliferation and subsequent differentiation into shoot-buds or multiple-shoots, in high-frequency cultures. This is first instance in monocots of a controlled regeneration response; either somatic embryogenesis or shoot formation.

Rootstocks for sweet cherry (Prunus canescens Bois) Camil GM 79 were grown in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, and on MS medium with double- and half-strength macroelements. All the media contained 4.4 μM 6-benzyladenine, 0.5 μM α-naphthylacetic acid, 0.3 μM gibberellic acid, 20 g dm^-3 sucrose and 7 g dm^-3 agar. The chemical analyses were monitored on day 0 and 40 of culturing in callus, stem and leaves. Fresh and dry mass of shoots increased linearly up to the end of culture. The highest fresh and dry masses and also the content of Ca and Mg were registered in shoots grown on half-strength MS medium.

The nodal and internodal explants excised from the orthotropic shoots of Sesbania sesban var. bicolor elicited the development of shoots directly from the explants as well as via an intervening callus phase on Nitsch (N) medium. On benzyladenine (BA) supplemented media, the adventitious shoot buds developed involving a callus phase. An average of 8.9 ± 4.1 shoots developed per nodal explant on N medium containing 0.5 mg dm^-3 BA in 95 % cultures, whereas 65 % cultures of internodal explants developed shoots with an average of 5.9 ± 3.6 shoots per explant on N medium supplemented with 1.0 mg dm^-3 BA. On kinetin (Kn) supplemented medium shoots developed directly from the surface of both the explants at all the concentrations tried. Nodal explants on N medium supplemented with 1.5 mg dm^-3 Kn developed an average of 12.5 ± 7.9 shoots per explant in 100 % cultures, while internodal explants induced an average of 11.6 ± 7.4 shoots per explant in 75 % explants at 0.5 mg dm^-3 Kn. The in vitro regenerated shoots developed roots when implanted on N medium supplemented with 2 mg dm^-3 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), after 30 d of inoculation. The in vitro developed plantlets were initially acclimatized under controlled conditions for four months, prior to their transfer to the field.

Freshly-added iron only slightly affected the growth of iron-sufficient cells of the green alga Scenedesmus incrassatulus Bohl, strain R-83, but induced accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in cells and excretion of MDA in the medium. These effects were stronger in response to Fe²⁺ as compared to Fe³⁺, but Fe³⁺ induced the release of more iron-binding chelators from these cells than Fe²⁺. Fe³⁺ added either in dark or in light induced release of equal concentrations of iron-complexing agents, part of which formed strong chelates with iron in the medium. Exogenously added hydrogen peroxide inhibited iron-induced release of chelators but the effect was removed by addition of the hydroxyl radical scavenger dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Malondialdehyde also inhibited the release of chelators. Release of chelators was induced in the absence of iron salts by photoexcited chlorophyll (Chl). The Chl-induced release was efficiently inhibited by singlet oxygen scavengers such as dimethylfuran, β-carotene, sodium azide and vitamin B₆, and stimulated in D₂O or DMSO. Exogenously added catalase inhibited the release more than added superoxide dismutase. The Fe³-induced release of chelators was also inhibited by scavengers of singlet oxygen, but was not affected by sodium azide and by ethanol. Hence both H₂O₂ and singlet oxygen were involved in induction of chelator release in the absence of iron in light. The induction of chelator release by iron in dark involved H₂O₂, but not singlet oxygen.

All seeds of Aeluropus lagopoides and Urochondra setulosa germinated under non-saline conditions except for Sporobolus ioclados which showed only 40 % germination. Increase in salinity substantially inhibited germination and few seeds germinated at 400 mM NaCl. Germination at 200 mM NaCl was alleviated in U. setulosa by the application of gibberellic acid and fusicoccin, in A. lagopoides by thiourea, betaine, kinetin, fusicoccin and ethephon, and in S. ioclados by gibberellin and ethephon. High salinity (400 mM NaCl) induced germination inhibition was alleviated by proline, kinetin, fusicoccin and ethephon only in A. lagopoides.

Induction of both somatic embryogenesis and organogenesis in presence of thidiazuron is reported in peanut tissues. However the histological evidence of thidiazuron induced somatic embryogenesis was unclear. Thidiazuron triggered multiple shoot differentiation in the plumule of the embryos. Keeping in view the ability of thidiazuron to induce both organogenesis and embryogenesis in peanut tissues, experiments were conducted to define the pathway of morphogenesis in the plumule of rooted somatic embryos. On exposure to thidiazuron, projections appeared from the plumule. These projections closely resemble the somatic embryos. However histological examination revealed that these are caulogenic buds and not somatic embryos. In concurrence with the earlier reports on thidiazuron induced organogenesis it is concluded that this growth regulator induces organogenic response in peanut tissues.