Improved protoplast culture and regeneration of shoots in pea (Pisum sativum L.).

An improved system involving a modification of the bead culture system was developed for culturing pea protoplasts. Using this method, sustained divisions and callus growth could be obtained in all 10 cultivars tested. In the best responding cultivar division frequency could be raised from 17% in liquid culture to 80% in the bead system. Shoot regeneration with a reproducible frequency of about 1% could be obtained from protoplast-derived calli in two of the tested cultivars.