ABSTRACT
The cultivated peanut or groundnut is a crop of great economic importance. In the US, primary uses of peanut seeds are for confectionery purposes or making peanut butter. A major objective of peanut improvement programs is the production of cultivars that are genetically resistant to pests and diseases. This chapter illustrates a direct somatic embryogenic system using mature peanut embryo axes as the explant or starting materials. It examines the effect that explant part has on embryogenesis. The chapter explores how auxin concentration in the primary and secondary media affects embryo induction and development. It then discusses how environmental factors, such as light, can modify embryo form. The chapter also examines the germination of embryos and acclimatization of plants. Somatic embryos are usually induced by incorporating an auxin into a primary medium. An important first step in developing any embryogenic protocol is to establish the most appropriate auxin type and concentration for induction of somatic embryogenesis.
