Comparison of Physiology and Anatomy of Seedlings and Regenerants of Sugar Beet

Whole sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. cv. Ras poly) plants were grown in the greenhouse from the same seed stock used for an in vitro shoot tip culture. In vitro produced sugar beet plants exhibited a high content of chlorophylls a and b, carotene, and total and soluble sugars. On the other hand, total protein content of in vivo plants was higher than that of in vitro plants. No differences were found by SDS-PAGE analysis in the nature and contents of soluble proteins of in vitro propagated plants and greenhouse-grown plants. Surfaces of epidermal cells were larger and palisade and spongy paranchyma tissues were thicker in leaves of regenerants than in leaves of seedlings. Vascular tissues in leaf petioles in regenerants were flat and more differentiated than in seedlings. Closed and undeveloped stomata were found on the abaxial leaf surface of regenerants, whereas in seedlings the stomata were open. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.