DNA variation in tissue-culture-derived rice plants

Regenerants of rice were examined by RFLP analysis to determine the occurrence and extent of somaclonal variation. DNA polymorphisms were observed both among plants regenerated from different callus cultures as well as among sibling plants derived from a single callus. Regardless of the basal medium, a higher degree of genetic instability was found among plants regenerated from callus cultures maintained for longer incubation periods (67 days) than among those from shorter incubation periods (28 days). Detailed analysis showed that in several regenerants, there was a close correlation among those plants exhibiting DNA rearrangements and those with apparent methylation changes. Such alterations were observed with both structural and housekeeping genes.