Chromosomal instability in cell- and tissue cultures of tomato haploids and diploids

Abstract

The effect of the tissue culture system, the genotype and the ploidy level of the plant material used as explant source on the stability of the ploidy level of plants regenerated fromcell and tissue cultures of tomato was investigated. In addition the use of the chloroplast number in guard cells as a measure for ploidy level was evaluated. Haploids of tomato were very instable, which instability was observed already in somatic root tip and leaf cells. The number of regenerated plants that retained the original ploidy level differed significantly between the tested haploids. The plants that were regenerated from leaf explants of diploids were predominantly diploid in contrast to the plants regenerated from established callus cultures and protoplast where the majority was tetraploid.