Selection of iron‐efficient soybean cell lines using plant cell suspension culture

Abstract Plant cell suspension culture may prove to be useful in the selection and isolation of cell lines which are efficient in mineral utilization. We have successfully used plant cell suspension culture to select for iron‐efficient soybean cell lines. Some of the iron utilization characteristics of iron‐efficient, Hawkeye (HA) and iron‐inefficient, PI‐54619–5–1 (PI) soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] cell lines in plant cell suspension culture were examined to determine their suitability as markers for identifying selected iron‐efficient cell lines. The growth response of soybean cell lines to low iron levels can be used to identify iron‐efficient plant cells. Cell suspension cultures of Pi‐soybeans grown on Gamborg's B5C medium required a higher concentration of iron as FeEDTA than HA‐soybeans. Both cell lines adapted to growth at sub‐optimal iron concentrations and yields increased after prolonged culture with sub‐optimal iron. Short term iron absorption experiments failed to differentiate iron‐efficient HA‐soybean cells and iron‐inefficient Pi‐soybean cells. Key words: Iron efficiencyplant cell suspension cultureplant breedingsoybeans