Plant regeneration from protoplasts of dessert banana cv. Grande Naine (Musa spp., Cavendish sub-group AAA) via somatic embryogenesis

Protoplast culture and plant regeneration of the dessert banana cultivar Gr ande Naine (Musa spp., Cavendish sub-group AAA) were achieved through somat ic embryogenesis. Protoplasts were isolated from cell suspensions at a yiel d of 3x10(7) protoplasts/ml packed cell volume (0.5 g). For the induction o f cell divisions, two banana cell suspensions, SF265 (AA) and IRFA903 (AA), were used as feeder layers. SF265 (AA) was found to be more efficient for inducing cell divisions than IRFA903 (AA). The first embryogenic cell suspe nsions were established from protoplast-derived microcalli. The transfer of microcalli and protoplast-derived cell suspensions onto regeneration mediu m containing plant growth regulators slightly increased the number of embry os relative to those maintained on a feeder layer with growth regulators. P lant regeneration was achieved in the same regeneration medium.