Mixoploidy and Chimeric Structures in Somaclones of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Bintje

Srečko Jelenić¹*, Jasna Berljak², Dražena Papeš¹ and Sibila Jelaska<sup>1

1</sup>Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
²Semenarna Ljubljana dd, Biotechnology Centre, Dolenjska cesta 242, SI-1108 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Article history:
Received December 20, 2000
Accepted February 16, 2001

Key words:
Solanum tuberosum L. potato, callus culture, regenerants, somaclonal variation, chimeras, mixoploidy

Summary:
Plant tissue culture is recognised as a disposable tool to generate useful genetic variability for crop improvement. Nine somaclones of tetraploid potato cv. Bintje regenerated from stem, tuber or protoplast-derived callus were analysed in vitro and in the field. All of them were morphological and cytological chimeras. They had alterations in general appearance, leaf morphology and tuber characteristics. The phenotypic variations of the first vegetative progeny (SC2 plants) were in most cases different in comparison with the primary regenerants (SC1 plants). The observed phenotypic instability was in correlation with chromosome mosaicism (chromosomal instability) as aneuoploid and polyploid cells were detected at high frequency (57-89 %) in root tips of all somaclons investigated.

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