High-efficiency plant regeneration from an embryogenic cell suspension culture of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Highly embryogenic cell suspension cultures were established from immature embryo-derived embryogenic calli of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. GK Ságvári). Weekly subcultures were made in liquid MS medium supplemented with 2 mg 1(-1) 2,4-D. An average of twenty-two compact, organized calli were obtained from each 1 ml suspension cells when plated on solid MS medium containing IAA and zeatin under a 16/8 h light/dark cycle, while only 9 calli were produced in the dark. Variation in the callus inducing ability was correlated to the time elapsed after subculture. Plated cells responded best 9 days after the subculture and 59% of the calli were regenerable, retaining their embryogenic capacity over 6 months. Several hundred green shoots and plants were regenerated on differentiation media supplemented with IAA and BAP, and 300 plants were transferred to the greenhouse. The majority of plants had an abnormal chromosome number and a low viability.