Protoplast Culture in Agarose Media with Particular Emphasis to Streaky Culture Lenses*

Isolated protoplasts of 60 species of the Magnoliatae and 19 species of the Liliatae were embedded in droplets of agarose-containing media in such a way that streaks of locally high cell densities were obtained. For comparison, agarose cultures with dispersed protoplasts and liquid cultures were prepared. Fast and reliable regeneration was obtained in several taxa. After transfer to low osmolar media, shoots were formed in 18 species belonging to the genera Arabidopsis, Asparagus, Biscutella, Brassica, Cichorium, Clianthus, Hypericum, Nicotiana, Petunia, Reseda, Senecio, and Solanum. Only protoplast-derived callus which did not organize shoots was grown in species of Agrimonia, Daucus, Cucumis, Duchesnea, Helianthus, Potentilla, Prunus, Reseda, Solanum, Sorbus, Spinacia, and Vicia.