Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in Chinese soybean ( Glycine max (L.) Merr.)—impacts of mannitol, abscisic acid, and explant age

From a preliminary experiment on 98 Chinese soybean varieties, 12 varieties with somatic embryogenesis frequency ranging from 0.0% to 85.7% were selected for further study in order to enhance the efficiency of somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration. The effects of different mannitol concentrations, abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations, and embryo explant ages (sizes) were investigated. Significant differences in somatic embryogenesis were found among the 12 soybean varieties, with initiation frequencies varying from 22.1% to 89.0% under suitable mannitol concentration, and with N25281, N25263, and N06499 having the highest somatic embryogenic capacity. The results showed that all three factors were relevant for raising rates of callus initiation and somatic embryogenesis, but with differential responses among the genotypes. The treatment of 3.0% (w/v) mannitol, 5 mg l−1 ABA, and a 4- to 5-mm-sized explant was found to be optimal for somatic embryogenesis, generating the highest explant-based regeneration rate at 83.0%. The greatest average number of plantlets regenerated per explant (1.35) was observed in N25281. The above results provide a basis for efficient regeneration of soybean and are informative for the development of genetic transformation systems in Chinese soybean germplasm.