SELECTION OF ANTHOCYANIN-ACCUMULATING POTATO (SOLANUM-TUBEROSUM L) CELL-LINES FROM CALLI DERIVED FROM SEEDLINGS PRODUCED BY GAMMA-IRRADIATED SEEDS

Callus cell lines of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Zarevo) were obt ained from seedlings germinated from gamma-irradiated seeds (200 Gy). Some of these cell lines produce red-violet pigments which were identi fied as acylated anthocyanins. The major anthocyanin was determined to be peonidin 3-O-[6-O-(4-0-E-p-coumaroyl-rhamnosyl)-glucoside (''peona nin''). Single cell-derived protoclones from non-pigmented protoplasts sometimes also gave rise to pigmented cell clusters thus indicating t hat the changes in the expression of the anthocyanin pathway can also occur after the stage of initial callus induction.