HEMOGLOBIN (ERYTHROGEN(TM)) IMPROVES POSTTHAW GROWTH OF CRYOPRESERVEDRICE CELLS

Supplementation of culture medium with commercial haemoglobin solution (Erythrogen(TM)) at 1:50-1:500 (v:v), had beneficial effects on post- thaw growth following cryopreservation of suspension-cultured cells of the Indica rice, Oryza sativa cv. Pusa Basmati 1. The mean absorbance , following triphenyltetrazolium chloride reduction, of rice cells at 8 days after thawing was increased by up to 60% (P < 0.05) over contro l. Erythrogen(TM) (1:50-1:100, v:v) promoted sustained mitosis, with b iomass at 24 days post-thawing being increased up to 22% (P < 0.05) ab ove control. Suspensions re-initiated from cryopreserved cells exhibit ed faster division following recovery with Erythrogen(TM) (P < 0.05); yields of protoplasts from such cells were comparable to those of unfr ozen cultures.