Abstract
This study was conducted to establish and optimize a regeneration system for adapted U.S. rice genotypes including three commercial rice cultivars (LaGrue, Katy, and Alan) and two Arkansas breeding lines. Factors evaluated in the study were genotype, sugar type, and phytohormone concentration. The system consisted of two phases, callus induction and plant regeneration. In the callus induction phase, mature caryopses were cultured on MS medium containing either 1% sucrose combined with 3% sorbitol or 4% sucrose alone, and 0.5 to$4\text{mg}\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$(2.26 to 18.10 μM) 2,4-D with or without$0.5\text{mg}\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$(2.32 μM) kinetin. In the plant regeneration phase, callus was transferred to 2,4-D-free MS medium containing 0 or$2\text{mg}\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$(9.29 μM) kinetin combined with 0 or$0.1\text{mg}\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$(0.54 μM) NAA. Callus induction commenced within a week, independent of the treatments. Callus growth and plant regeneration, however, were significantly influenced by interactions among experimental factors. Generally, the greatest callus growth and plant regeneration were obtained with$0.5\text{mg}\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$(2.26 μM) 2,4-D and decreased with increasing 2,4-D concentrations. Kinetin enhanced callus growth only when combined with$0.5\text{mg}\cdot \text{L}^{-1}$(2.26 μM) 2,4-D, and 4% sucrose. Inducing callus on kinetin-containing medium generally enhanced regeneration capacity in the presence of sucrose but not with a sucrose/sorbitol combination. Media containing sucrose alone generally supported more callus proliferation, but the sucrose/sorbitol combination improved regeneration of some cultivars. NAA and kinetin had little effect on regeneration.