Somatic embryos were induced from scutellar callus of immature zygotic embryos of T aestivum cv.
Chinese Spring. Observations on precociously germinating somatic embryos revealed that: (i) In the initial
stages the coleoptile is split, exposes the shoot apex and forms a green trichomatous leafy structure.
In the germinating zygotic embryo, the coleoptile is tubular, (ii) Unlike what has been inferred earlier the
leafy structure is the coleoptile and not the scutellum, (iii) Bipolarity of the embryoid is established later
when root develops at the basal end.
Kerala in south India grows several cash crops such as banana and
pineapple, the crop residues of which are sources of natural fibres that
can be used in hand papermaking. Kerala, however, does not have a
tradition in hand papermaking. The following is an account of an attempt
to popularize the art and craft of hand papermaking among self-help
groups as a means of self-employment and waste utilization, using fibres
extracted from agriwaste and local plants