[Intergeneric somatic hybridization between Astragalus adsurgens Pall and Medicago sativa L]

The protoplast fusion was induced between Astragalus adsurgens Pall and Agrobacterium rhizogenes-transformed cell line of Medicago Sativa L. by use of PEG method. Putative somatic hybrid cells were selected based on the observation that only intergeneric hybrid cells continued to divide on the DPD medium without any phytohormone while the cells and clusters derived from parental cells did not survive further. After being cultured, the somatic hybrid calli were obtained. Although both of the parental calli were not capable of regenerating , one of the hydrid cell lines recovered the differentiation ability and produced small shoots. Characterizations of the hybrid calli were carried out by examination of chromsome number, opine synthetase assay, isoenzyme and RAPD analyses.