Parameters influencing the regeneration capacity of calluses derived from mature indica and japonica rice seeds after microprojectile bombardment

The microprojectile bombardment procedure has allowed the stable transformation of indica and japonica rice varieties, although at different frequencies of transformation depending mainly on their regeneration capacity and on the specific parameters of the transformation protocol. A study of the process of regeneration to whole plants from primary calli derived from mature indica and japonica rice seeds, via embryogenesis, has shown that somatic embryos are produced by division and differentiation of the external cell layers of callus tissues. Adjusting the bombardment conditions to optimize gene delivery to those regenerable cells, we have evaluated the influence of parameters such as the target distance, particle penetration and the effect of osmotic treatment on the regeneration capacity of bombarded cells. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.