CORRELATION BETWEEN HYPERICIN CONTENT AND THE PLOIDY OF SOMACLONES OFHYPERICUM-PERFORATUM L

An altered ploidy level was observed in plants regenerated by adventit ious shoot formation from seedlings of Hypericum perforatum L. (2n = 4 x = 32). Among the somaclones of the R-0 generation, the presence of d iploids (2n = 2x = 16), triploids (2n = 3x = 24), tetraploids (2n = 4x = 32) and mixoploids was detected. Cytogenetic analyses of the R-1 an d R-2 progenies showed that the chromosomal instability of tile Ro som aclones was transferred onto the next generations. While almost all th e seed progeny of diploids (100% in R-1 and 94% in R-2) and more than 60% of tetraploids (61% in R-1 and 73% in R-2) retained their chromoso me number, cytogenetic diversity was observed in the progeny of triplo ids, mixoploids and some tetraploids. Somaclones and their offspring w ere analyzed for hypericin content. Statistical evaluation showed a co rrelation between hypericin content and ploidy during a two-year culti vation of Ro somaclones and in their R-1 and R-2 progenies.