Histology of Somatic Embryogenesis in Panicum Maximum (Guinea Grass)

Immature embryos of Panicum maximum Jacq. (Guinea grass) were cultured on Murashige and Skoog's medium containing 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (5 mg/1) and coconut milk (5%). The epidermal and subepidermal cells of the scutellum at the coleorhizal end either formed somatic embryos directly or gave rise to embryogenic callus at several loci. Somatic embryos were formed later also at the periphery of these embryogenic calli. The embryoids originated from single, densely staining, nonvacuolated and starch‐containing cells with thickened walls and developed through characteristic stages of grass embryogeny.