Changes in chromosome complement in long-term pea callus cultures.
A prolonged callus culture from pea (Pisum sativum L. var. Kiir) cotyledons subcultured for 7.5 years on Torrey's solid medium was examined cytologically. The initially (and up to 3.5-year cultivation) predominantly diploid pea callus strain changed into triploid. The frequency of aberrant ana- and telophases increased during 5 year cultivation from 9 to 40 per cent and thereafter returned to the initial rate maintaining it at least for one year of subculturing. Some possible mechanisms of chromosomal variation tendencies in vitro are discussed.
Cells, Cultured↗