Plants regenerated from callus cultures derived from leaf discs and mesophyll protoplasts ofPetunia hybrida cv. Rose of Heaven exhibit a high frequency of genetic and chromosomal variation. Of twelve leaf disc-derived plants examined, only three had the normal diploid chromosome number (2n=14) while seven were tetraploid and two were aneuploid (16 and 27 chromosomes). Of seventeen plants derived from two protoplasts, none had the diploid chromosome number. Most had 28 chromosomes, one 29, two 27, one 26 and one had variable numbers (14–28) in different root tip cells. In all cases aneuploidy was associated with developmental abnormality. In addition, heritable differences in growth, morphology and flower pigmentation were observed in callus-derived tetraploids and diploids, including one diploid which differed from parent plants in at least four characters. These results are discussed in terms of the importance ofPetunia in genetics research and for studies of somaclonal variation.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Petunia hybrida, regeneration, chromosomal variation
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Plant Biology
Research Field:	Plant Physiology
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences
Author:	Smith, SM (Professor Steven Smith)
ID Code:	101600
Year Published:	1990
Web of Science® Times Cited:	4
Deposited By:	Plant Science
Deposited On:	2015-06-26
Last Modified:	2017-06-07
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