Comparative study of tissue culture response of some selected basmati rice cultivars of Pakistan

This study was conducted to select the best tissue culture responsive basmati rice cultivar among Basmati 370, Basmati 385, Super basmati and Shaheen basmati. N6 and MS media having four levels of 2, 4-D (1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 mg/l) and three levels of agar (4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 g/l) were used in order to evaluate the most appropriate level required for calli formation. Basmati 370 showed the best response as compared to other cultivars on both MS and N6 media. The most cultivars behaved well for callus induction at N6 media, 5.0 g/l agar and 2.0-2.5 mg/l 2, 4-D. Basmati 370 showed callus formation; 74.0-85.07%, Super basmati showed 65.5-75.17%, Basmati 380 showed 72-79% and Shaheen basmati showed 53.0-67.87% callus formation. For regeneration, various treatments (0.5/2.0, 1.0/4.0, 1.5/5.0 mg/l) of NAA/BAP were used. Super basmati exhibited the best response for regeneration (58.33%) at 1.0/5.0 NAA/BAP. Based on our findings, Super basmati was found to be the best tissue culture responsive cultivar. These results will be helpful in unveiling many aspects of callus induction and regeneration and have potential use in genetic improvement of rice by employing various techniques of genetic transformation including Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and gene gun method.