W. Handro et al., CHROMOSOMAL VARIABILITY AND GROWTH-RATE IN CELL-SUSPENSION CULTURES OF STEVIA-REBAUDIANA (BERT) BERTONI, PLANT SCI, 93(1-2), 1993, pp. 169-176
Several cell lines were obtained from a predominantly diploid (2n = 22
) cell suspension culture of Stevia rebaudiana by colchicine treatment
(10(-3)M/72 h), filtration in 100-500 mu m sieves and plating followe
d by visual selection. Colchicine treatment resulted in a highly polyp
loid line, but with a tendency for reversion to a chromosome distribut
ion profile (CDP) similar to the initial culture, but with a higher gr
owth rate. Selection by filtration showed a relationship between cell
aggregate size and the CDP, cells of higher ploidy having a tendency t
o form smaller aggregates. After plating, calli with several character
istics (shape, colour, degree of friability) were selected, and gave r
ise to cell lines with different CDPs; these cell lines were used to i
nitiate predominantly diploid, tetraploid or aneuploid cell suspension
s that showed characteristic growth rates and aggregate sizes.