Plant regeneration from mesophyll protoplasts in Isatis indigotica

Protoplasts of an accession of Isatis indigotica Fort. were isolated from mesophyll tissue by enzymatic digestion and cultured using a feeder cell system. Shoot regeneration efficiency was 100% via organogenesis among 627 isolated calluses within 30–37 days. Among these shoot initiating calluses, 162 (22.6%) developed normal shoots with multiple (2–5) shoots per callus. The remaining calluses developed only vitreous shoots. High concentration (5 μM) of indole-3-butyric acid had a positive effect on rooting compared to low concentration (0.5 μM) of indole-3-butyric acid and α-naphthalene-acetic acid. The average rooting efficiency of regenerated shoots of two experiments was higher on LS medium with 5 μM indole-3-butyric acid than on LS medium without growth regulators. Twenty-nine plantlets, with 2–3 expanded leaves and roots were potted in soil and 22 developed normally to maturity in the glasshouse.