Hydroponic Rescue and Regeneration of Aeschynomene, Corchorus Species, and Lablab Purpureus (L.) Sweet Genetic Resources.

Aeschynomene, Corchorus species, and Lablab purpureus (L. Sweet) have uses ranging from forage, vegetables, nutraceutical, and medicinal. Many of these will not flower nor produce seed when grown under normal field conditions in Griffin or Byron, GA because of juvenility, photoperiod and freeze-sensitivities. Therefore alternative regeneration methods such as hydroponic techniques are required to increase high quality seed for these species. 40 accessions of Aeshynomene, Corchorus species, and L. purpureus were planted in the field at Griffin or Byron, GA  from 2011-2013. 4 stem cuttings per accession with 3 true leaves were removed from plants and placed in a hydroponic cloner system inside the greenhouse during the Fall all three years. Most of the stem cuttings developed healthy root systems. After 1-2 wks, 2-4 well developed stem cuttings from each Aeschynomene accession with healthy root systems were placed in an aeroponic system  while both the Corchorus and L. purpureus accessions were transplanted to plastic pots containing potting soil and maintained in the greenhouse. 14 seedlings from a low seed producing L. purpureus accession, Grif 16516 were placed in a nutrient film technique (NFT). Seed numbers ranged from 20-18,000 per accession for all species and seed weights ranging from 0.258-305.8 g per accession for the Aeschynomene species and L. purpureus. Seed weights were not determined for the Corchorus species. A fairly low amount of variability for seed numbers and weights occurred for both Aeschynomene and L. purpureus accessions based on coefficient's of variation (ranging from 51-64%, however the Corchorus accessions revealed greater variability for seed numbers based on there coefficient of variation (91%). The Lablab purpureus accession, Grif 16516 produced 1,629 seeds, These are very useful techniques to rescue juvenile, photoperiod, freeze-sensitive and low seed producing accessions for quality seed regeneration and should be useful for additional species as well.