Fertile pea plants regenerate from protoplasts when calluses have not undergone endoreduplication.

Large numbers of viable protoplasts were isolated and cultured from five pea genotypes. Calluses obtained (percent final plating efficiency (% FPE)=0.65-2.82% of initially plated protoplasts) exhibited great differences in proliferation and regeneration competence between and within genotypes. Flow cytometric analyses showed the occurrence of endoreduplication processes correlated with such differences, and could serve as a tool for the early prediction of plant regeneration competence from protoplasts. Fertile plants were produced only from calluses with a normal DNA level.