Production and testing of plants regenerated from protoplasts of photoperiod sensitive genic male sterile rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Plants were regenerated from protoplasts isolated from embryonic suspension cultures of N5047S, a photoperiod sensitive genic male sterile (PGMS) Japo nica rice line. Flow cytometric analyses of nuclear DNA content identified some tetraploid regenerates whose agronomic traits could be distinguished f rom diploid regenerates. Pollen and female fertility of diploid protoplast- derived clones grown under different light and temperature conditions was c ompared. A promising PGMS protoplast clone, ZAU11S, was developed from thes e clones. Its male sterility was confirmed as a photoperiod x temperature i nteraction type.