Protoplast culture and plant regeneration from Brassica carinata Braun.

Protoplasts isolated from hypocotyls of three-day-old seedlings of Brassica carinata (Braun) cv R-2128 were cultured in a modified Nitsch and Nitsch liquid medium containing 13% sucrose, 0.4% Ficoll, 0.25 mg/l BA, 0.5 mg/l NAA and 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D. The density of medium caused the protoplasts and the developing microcalli to float on the surface of the liquid medium whereas all debris and lysed cells sank to the bottom of the culture plate. After 4-6 weeks developing microcalli were approximately 0.5 mm in diameter and were transferred onto MS medium containing 3% sucrose, 0.4% agarose, 200 mg/l casein hydrolysate, 5 mg/l BA and 0.5 mg/l NAA, pH 5.7. Approximately 20% of the calli transferred to this medium produced plantlets.