Development of tissue and protoplast culture techniques for Impatiens walleriana Hook. f. with a view to the transfer of yellow flower colour

• Main Author: Delafield, Susan J.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 1989
• Subjects: Impatiens > Breeding.; Impatiens > Color.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=59575

Impatiens walleriana Hook.f. is a popular bedding plant with a variety of flower colours excepting yellow. Transfer of this characteristic could be achieved through somatic hybridization, thus this study was an attempt to establish the basic parameters of tissue and protoplast culture. The condition of the stock plants and surface sterilisation techniques are important for this species. Most tissues responded to trials for callus induction with rhizogenesis. Evaluation of media and plant growth regulator combinations revealed that axillary shoot proliferation was most efficient on MS medium with 3.0 mg/L BAP and 0.1 mg/L IBA. Protoplast isolation was most effective in 0.5% w/v cellulase and 0.25% w/v pectinase with 0.25 M mannitol and 0.25 M glucose yielding 2.70 $ times$ 10$ sp5$ protoplasts per gram of leaf tissue. The presence of mucous, raphids and excessive debris inhibited successful culture of leaf mesophyll protoplasts. Cotyledon protoplasts show promise for such investigations.