Abstract: Musa AAB Silk ‘Guoshanxiang’ is an important germplasm of banana in China. The induction of embryogenic callus and somatic embryogenesis from scalp of the multiple buds induced from this cultivar was investigated. Cauliflower-like compact buds (multiple buds) could be induced from meristem of single adventitious bud of this cultivar in P4 medium consisted of MS salts and vitamins supplemented with BAP 100 μmol·L ^{- 1} and IAA 1 μmol·L ^{- 1} after subculture for five cycles. The maximum percentage of the calli induction, 97.6% , from the scalps was obtained on medium supp lemented with 2,4-D 5 μmol·L ^{- 1} and Zeatin 1 μmol·L ^{- 1} in the dark for 45 days when the multiple buds, before cut of the scalp, were precultured in the light with a 16 h photoperiod provided by cool white fluorescent tubes with a light intensity of 30 μmol ·m^{- 2} ·s^{- 1}. After 20 days of the induction culture, yellowish nodular callus ( also called meristematic globules) were initially produced on the surface of the scalp, and 17.5% of the whitish or buff and friable embryogenic callus were produced on the surface of the nodular callus after culture for 90 - 120 days. After culture on mature medium for 60 days, 14.5% of the somatic embryos induced from the embryogenic callus could be germinated, and 11.1% of the germinated embryos were converted to plantlets.

Key words: Banana, Multiple bud, Embryogenic callus, Somatic embryo, Plant regeneration