Somatic embryogenesis and esculin formation in calli and embryoids from bark explants of Aesculus hippocastanum L.

Abstract Somatic embryogenesis was obtained from bark explants of Aesculus hippocastanum L. cultured in agarized Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with some growth substances (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, kinetine, 1-naphthalene acetic acid, 2.0 mg/l of each). Esculin and its aglucon, esculetin, were tested in calli and embryoids by HPLC; their presence in somatic embryos was confirmed by 1 H-NMR. The results indicate that esculin and esculetin were present in noticeable amounts in all of the analyzed samples.