Ion accumulation in lucerne plants regenerated from salt-adapted suspension cultures compared with recultured cells from these plants

Lucerne (Medicago media cv. Rambler) plants, regenerated from cell suspension cultures adapted to 200 mm NaCl, and cell cultures derived from the leaflets of regenerated plants showed enhanced Na+ exclusion compared with the unselected plants and cell cultures. There was a decrease in the K+ concentration in response to NaCl treatment but the selected plants and cell cultures maintained a significantly higher K+ concentration and showed much lower Na+/K+ ratios than unselected plants and cell cultures. The proline concentration increased in the shoots and cell cultures in response to NaCl stress but the selected plants and cell cultures showed a significantly higher proline concentration than unselected plants and cell cultures.