Effect of culture medium and cell suspension sieving on somatic embryo formation in plantain cv. 'FHIA 04' (Musa spp. AAAB)

Somatic embryogenesis is considered an efficient technique for plant propagation, as well as a tool for genetic improvement of different crops. This study aims to determine the effect of the culture medium and size of cell clumps on the formation of somatic embryos in the plantain cultivar 'FHIA 04' ( Musa AAAB). Embryogenic cell suspensions were considered in their multiplication phase and divided in two size ranges (i.e. ≤500 and ˃500 µm) of cellular aggregates. After sieving, the cellular aggregates were transferred onto a plastic mesh that was placed on two culture media for somatic embryo formation: one containing 0.4 mg l ^− 1 6-benzylaminopurine (6BAP) and 0.3 mg l ^− 1 indol-3-acetic acid (IAA) as growth regulators and the second one without any plant growth regulator. After 30 days of cultivation in the dark at 25 ± 2ºC, the number of somatic embryos formed on each culture medium was evaluated, as well as the effects on their maturation and germination. The combination of embryogenic cellular aggregate with size ≤ 500 µm and the culture medium without growth regulators resulted in more somatic embryo formation, better maturation, and higher germination of the plantain cultivar 'FHIA-04'.