Fertile Indica rice plants regenerated from protoplasts isolated from scutellar tissue of immature embryos.

We report on the regeneration of fertile Indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants from protoplasts isolated from scutellar tissue of immature embryos. The average yields of protoplasts after purification ranged from 2.8 × 10(5) to 3.5 × 10(5) protoplasts per fifty embryos. Protoplasts developed rapidly to colonies when cultured in maltose containing medium using the nurse culture method. Upto 146 or 39 visible colonies per 10(6) protoplasts were obtained for the varieties Basmati 370 and IR43 respectively. Of two basal culture media compared, R2 medium containing 3 mg l(-1) kinetin, 1 mg l(-1) naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), 30 g l(-1) maltose and 3.0 g l(-1) agarose was found to be more effective in producing green plants. All scutellum protoplast-derived plants that were transferred to the greenhouse survived and were fertile.