Cytogenetics of in vitro cultured somatic cells and regenerated plants of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Summary Cytogenetic analysis of immature embryoderived calli and regenerated plants of barley has demonstrated high heterogeneity of callus cultures and significant differences in cytogenetic processes between different callus lines. Regenerated plants usually have a normal chromosome complement (2n=14). Tetraploid plaints occur with a frequency of 1%. No chromosome aberrations have been detected by Feulgen staining. The phenomenon of chromosome stickiness recorded from the 2nd day of culture was discovered in a majority of callus lines as well as the phenomena of chromatin hypercondensation and chromosome supercoiling. A possible contribution of cytogenetic and molecular processes to somaclonal variation is discussed.