SELECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MANNITOL-TOLERANT CALLUS LINES OF VIGNA-RADIATA (L) WILCZEK

An osmotically (mannitol) tolerant callus line of Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek has been isolated from callus cultures grown on modified PC-L2 medium supplemented with increasing concentrations of mannitol. The tolerance was stable and retained after growth in the absence of mannitol selection for 2 months. The growth of the tolerant line, in the presence of mannitol (540 mol m-3) was comparable to that of a sensitive callus line growing in the absence of mannitol. This line not only grew well on media containing up to 720 mol m-3 mannitol, but also required 450 mol m-3 mannitol for its optimal growth. Osmotically tolerant callus also showed increased tolerance to NaCl (0-250 mol m-3) stress as compared to sensitive callus. Accumulation of Na+ was lower, and the level of K+ was more stable in osmotically tolerant than in sensitive calli, when both were exposed to salt. The free proline content of both tolerant and sensitive calli increased on media supplemented with mannitol or NaCl. However, the proline content of sensitive callus was higher than in tolerant callus in the presence of same concentrations of mannitol or NaCl.