Interspecific somatic fusion was performed between 'Seminole' tangelo (Citrus reticulata Blanco xC. paradisi Macf.) protoplasts isolated from embryogenic callus and rough lemon (C. jambhiri Lush.) mesophyll protoplasts. Eight plants out of ten randomly selected regenerants had 18 chromosomes and the same nuclear rDNA fragment patterns as that of the mesophyll parent. The remaining two plants showed rDNA fragment patterns from both parents and had 36 chromosomes. For the analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA),rrn26 derived from pea was used to probeBamHI digests of the regenerants. All plants showed mtDNA band patterns identical to that of the callus parent, suggesting that eight plants were cybrids and the remaining two plants were somatic hybrids. In addition to the callus parent band patterns, additional fragments from the mesophyll parent and/or a novel band fragment were revealed in some of the putative cybrids by peaatpA probe after digestion withDraI andPstI. These results suggest the occurrence of mtDNA recombination/rearrangement inCitrus cybrids produced by somatic fusion in this interspecific combination.
Keywords: Citrus cybrids; Mitochondrial DNA; Protoplast fusion; Rearrangement; Recombination.