INTERSPECIFIC SOMATIC HYBRIDS BETWEEN DIHAPLOID SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM L AND THE WILD-SPECIES, S-PINNATISECTUM DUN

Leaf-derived protoplasts of S. tuberosum and S. pinnatisectum were ele ctrofused. A culture medium-based procedure was used to select heterok aryon-derived tissues from which somatic hybrid plants were regenerate d. Somatic hybridity was confirmed by morphological, isozyme and restr iction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses. After 22 weeks, f our somatic hybrid plants were produced. These plants had phenotypical ly abnormal stolon-derived shoots in which flow cytometry revealed a l arge degree of mixoploidy. Haploid nuclei were also present in these s hoots. One shoot exhibited a noticeably higher DNA content in comparis on with other adventitious shoots,