'Plant Breeding: Sustaining the Future' Abstracts of the XVIth EUCARPIA Congress, Edinburgh, Scotland, 10-14 September 2001 ANDROGENIC AND SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS OF RYE (Secale cereale L.) M. RUI, P. SEPPO Lab. of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, FIN-20014 Turku, Finland

Anther and microspore culture techniques of rye were compared as well as main affecting factors were evaluated. Compared with other media, callus induction was improved by using PG-96. Somatic embryogenic calli with high regeneration capacity were derived from inflorescences and immature embryos. Friable embryogenic callus were used for suspension culture and fine suspension culture system was established. Protoplasts were isolated from suspension cell clumps. Cell division was initiated successfully and further developed into visible callus. Compact embryogenic calli were developed from faster growing calli on regeneration media and shoots were obtained.