Differential characteristics of cell suspension cultures initiated from Eucalyptus gunnii clones differing by their frost tolerance.

Cell suspension cultures were initiated from two clones of Eucalyptus gunnii differing by their frost resistance.During cold treatments viability of the individual cell lines and of their protoplasts was correlated to the degree of frost resistance of the starting clones.Moreover, at moderate temperature (10°C) the growth rate was higher for the tolerant cells than for the sensitive ones.Free proline content was ten-fold higher in the resistant cell line than in the sensitive one whereas concentrations of other free amino-acids were equivalent.