CYTODIFFERENTIATION OF LONG-CULTURED GINSENG CELLS INDUCED BY AGROBACTERIUM-RHIZOGENES

Conditions providing for the rapid mass production of protoplasts from suspension cultures of a kinetin-independent ginseng (Panax ginseng C .A. Mey.) strain and the restoration of suspension cultures from these protoplasts were determined. Strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes that exerted mild action on cells of the kinetin-independent ginseng strai n were selected. When dedifferentiated cells of this long-cultured gin seng strain were fused with spheroplasts of A. rhizogenes (strain 1583 4), giant cells appeared with cytoplasm containing numerous inclusions , and some cells were in the process of fragmentation (or cleavage), t ypical of early morphogenesis. The frequency of the latter cells and c ell groups resembling proembryogenic masses was 3.5 x 10(-3).