Establishment of a novel plant regeneration system from suspension-derived callus in the halophytic Leymus chinensis (Trin.)

The establishment of cell suspension culture and plant regeneration of the halophytic Leymus chinensis (Trin.) are described in this study for the first time. Callus induction solid medium containing Murashige and Shoog (MS) basic salt, $2.0\;mg\;l^{-1}$ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and $5.0\;mg\;l^{-1}$ L-glutamic acid with $30.0\;g\;l^{-1}$ sucrose and $4.0\;g\;l^{-1}$ gelrite for solidification induced the highest rate of cell division in Type 1 callus among calli of various types. Liquid medium with the same hormone distribution was therefore, used for cell suspension culture from Type 1 callus. Over a 30 d suspension culture at 100 rpm, great amounts of biomass were accumulated, with 71.07% average daily increment and 22.32-fold total fresh weight increment. Comparison of before and after suspension culture, the distribution of different size callus pieces and the maintenance of callus type were basically unaltered, but a slight increase in relative water contents was observed. To induce the potential of plant regeneration, the directly transferring on plant regeneration solid medium containing MS basic salt, $0.2\;mg\;l^{-1}$ $\alpha$-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), $2.0\;mg\;l^{-1}$ kinetin (Kn), and $2.0\;g\;l^{-1}$ casamino acid and indirectly transferring were simultaneously performed. Even now growth rates of suspension-derived callus on solid medium were approximately half of those of Type 1 callus, but faster somatic embryogenesis was observed. Rooting of all regenerated shoots was successfully performed on half-strength MS medium. All plants appeared phenotypically normal.