MODIFIED CULTURE CONDITIONS FOR INCREASED VIABILITY AND CELL-WALL SYNTHESIS IN GRAPEVINE (VITIS-VINIFERA L CV SULTANINA) LEAF PROTOPLASTS

Studies were undertaken to determine optimum conditions for grapevine protoplast culture. Highest viability was obtained at 25-degrees in the dark, and at initial pH values of 5.2 to 7.2, in the presence of 1 or 2% (w/v) sucrose and 0.6 or 0.7 M mannitol or osmolality between 729 and 930 mOsmol kg-1. Optimum plant growth regulators were 6-BAP/NAA at 2.3 x 10(-6)/10-15 x 10(-6) M, respectively. S-35-Methionine incorporation into de novo synthesized proteins for protoplasts of Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi (a readily regenerating species) and for the recalcitrant grapevine was studied. In tobacco the rate of protein synthesis showed 3 maxima which coincided with the distinct stages of naked protoplasts, cell wall reconstitution and induction of cell division. In grapevine protoplasts the first peak exceeded the second one, whereas no peak corresponding to the induction of cell division was observed.