Tuberous Root Initiation and Shoot Regeneration in Telfairia occidentalis Hook. F.

The study assessed tuberous root development, cotyledon degeneration and shoot regeneration in Telfairia occidentalis. This was with a view to establishing the tuberous root function in shoot regeneration, relationship between cotyledon degeneration and tuberous root initiation and the possibility of shoot regeneration if cotyledons are lost. Seeds from matured fruits of T. occidentalis were utilized in this study. Seedlings were uprooted at weekly intervals on a random basis to observed tuberization. Plants were also uprooted at weekly intervals, a week after tuberization and the primary shoots excised at the base, replanted and watered regularly to determine possibility of shoot regeneration. As control, primary shoots of 3 weeks old plants were excised, replanted and watered regularly for the possibility of shoot regeneration. To observe correlation between root development and cotyledon degeneration, six randomly selected plants were uprooted on a weekly basis, and weights of cotyledon and root measured and their means compared. Cotyledons and roots were excised from plants, and where observed for possibility of shoot regeneration. The study concluded that root tuberization in T. occidentalis was initiated at the onset of cotyledon degeneration and the food and energy reserve needed for shoot regeneration where translocated to the root at this time.