Improvement of rice callus regeneration in the presence of NaCl

The effects of abscisic acid (37.8 mu M), polyethylene glycol (5%), proline (10 mM), tryptophan (490 mu M) and indoleacetic acid (5.7 mu M) on rice callus regeneration were studied at various doses of NaCl (0, 50 and 100 mM) on three month-old mature embryo-derived callus of two japonica (I Kong Pao and Aiwu) and two indica (IR 2153 and Nona Bokra) rice cultivars differing in salinity tolerance. NaCl strongly decreased the regeneration frequency of all cultivars but slightly increased the survival of regenerated plantlets. Tryptophan stimulated regeneration and increased subsequent survival rates of regenerated plantlets in all cultivars at all NaCl doses. Abscisic acid and polyethylene glycol, though not affecting the final regeneration percentages, delayed regeneration and reduced the mean number of plantlets produced per regenerating callus in all cultivars, as well as rooting ability and survival of regenerated plantlets in indica genotypes. Proline had no marked effect on regeneration, whatever the NaCl dose or cultivar, while indoleacetic acid reduced shoot regeneration and increased root regeneration.