Tissue Culture and Genetic Transformation of Groundnut or Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)-A Review on Problems and Progress

Groundnut or Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is economically the most important species of the legume family. Peanut is an important oilseed and cash crop in warm tropical and sub tropical regions throughout the world. It is cultivated for its edible seeds which are rich in oil and proteins. The seed contains oil of about 43% and protein 25%. In India, the plants after harvest is used as cattle feed. Asian land races of peanut have a narrow genetic base and low genetic diversity because of which they lack resistance to several biotic stresses as disease-causing microbes, pests, insects and abiotic stresses as drought and salinity. These can cause major losses in terms of quality and quantity. An efficient regeneration and genetic transformation technology has developed to improve this crop. Genetic transformation overcomes the limitations and allows the introduction of agronomically important genes across taxa. The availability of an efficient regeneration system is however an essential prerequisite for utilizing this approach. This paper review, tissue culture through organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis, including the influence of factors such as genotype, explants sources, and culture media including the supplementation of plant growth regulators. Lists of morphogenetic pathways involved in regeneration and establishment of protocols for the production of transgenics via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation based on the existing literature data.