Promoting Effects of Melatonin Supplements on the Embryogenic Callus Maintainance in Alfalfa (Medicago Sativa L.)

Abstract

The goal of this study was to determine melatonin impacts on the embryogenic callus formation and callus necrosis recovering of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L). Calluses, obtained from leaf explants, were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.0125 mg mL-1 melatonin + 1 mg mL-1 2,4-D or 0.0125 mg mL-1 kinetin + 1 mg mL-1 melatonin. Melatonin reduced the embryogenic callus formation in both concentrations. It was detected that the weight of fresh callus in genotypes was strongly related with hormones under in vitro conditions and the lowest fresh callus weight was detected in presence of 0.0125 mg mL-1 kinetin and 1 mg mL-1 melatonin. Based on the callus necrosis recovery, the highest callus necrosis weight (0.843 g) were recorded in embryogenic calluses cultivated in 0.0125 mg mL-1 melatonin + 1 mg mL-1 2,4-D melatonin-supplemented medium, compared with the calluses activited with MS alone (0.587 g). In conclusion, it was detected in this study that in vitro melatonin could be used in callus necrosis recovered in tissue cultures of alfalfa.