Ultrasonic treatment stimulates multiple shoot regeneration and explant enlargement in recalcitrant squash cotyledon explants in vitro

Ultrasonic treatment (0.5–2 min) stimulated multiple shoot regeneration to high levels in vitro from recalcitrant cotyledon explants of commercial squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivars Ma’yan and Bareqet, on Murashige and Skoog [Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962] (regeneration) medium augmented with 4.4 μM benzyladenine. At this stage, unsonicated control explants regenerated only a few very small shoots or bud-like structures. Ultrasound also stimulated massive explant growth. Ultrasound treatment resulted in further multiple shoot production (five times greater than control) after explant transfer to elongation medium (Murashige and Skoog [Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962] medium with 0.44 μM benzyladenine and 2.9 μM gibberellic acid). Longer ultrasonic treatments (5 or 10 min) promoted multiple shoot regeneration and explant growth accompanied by hyperhydration. Scanning electron microscope observations showed that 2 min ultrasound changed the joint area between epidermal cells and removed some of the surface from the cotyledon epidermal cells, without gross surface injury to the explants. Longer periods of ultrasound (5–10 min) caused further surface erosion. Rubbing the explant contact surface with chloroform or sandpaper emulated the effect of sonication on shoot regeneration and explant growth, demonstrating that ultrasound exerts its morphogenic influence by surface removal. Sonication of explants from other batches of squash seeds (of cultivars Ma'yan and True French), that regenerated without such treatment, reduced regeneration and caused hyperhydration. This is the first report of stimulation of in vitro regeneration by ultrasound treatment.