CHARACTERIZATION AND PLANT-REGENERATION OF CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURES OF LYCOPERSICON-CHILENSE

To produce calli for the establishment of a cell suspension, leaf, stem, and petiole explants of Lycopersicon chilense Dun., grown in vitro and in the soil, were cultured on media containing 15 different combinations of benzylaminopurine, kinetin, and indole acetic acid. Among the three types of tissues, leaf explants showed the best response. Cell suspension cultures of L. chilense were established from leaf callus derived from soil grown plants using Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with casein hydrolysate (250 mg/L), coconut water (5%), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2 mg/L). Once established, cell suspensions showed a rapid growth rate with no marked lag phase. Shooting via organogenesis occurred from callus derived from cell suspensions on medium containing 2 mg/L benzylaminopurine. Regenerated plants had the same morphology as the original plants.