SHORT COMMUNICATION Factors Affecting Protoplast Culture ofCucumis melo'Green Delica'

Hypocotyls, cotyledons and etiolated half-expanded leaves ofCucumismelo‘Green Delica’ were used as explants for protoplastisolation and culture. Protoplasts isolated from cotyledonsand etiolated half-expanded leaves cultured in Durand, Potrykusand Donn (DPD) medium supplemented with 0.9 µMbenzylaminopurine(BAP), 3.6 µM2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and1% sucrose, using the agarose bead culture method, were ableto form cell walls and subsequently go through cell division.Pretreatment of half-expanded leaf explants in the dark for14 d provided the best material for protoplast isolation andcell division. Approximately one third of protoplasts from etiolatedhalf-expanded leaves formed microcolonies. For hypocotyl protoplasts,none of the treatments used were suitable to induce cell division.There was no significant difference between sucrose, glucose,and sucrose plus glucose, in culture media on the plating efficiencyof leaf protoplasts ofC. melo‘Green Delica’; however,bigger colonies were formed in media supplemented with 1% sucrose.No shoot or whole plant regeneration was achieved. However,the methods reported here provide further information onC. meloprotoplastculture.Copyright 1998 Annals of Botany Company Cucumis melo,protoplast culture, 2,4-D, BAP, yeast extract, casein hydrolysate.