Plant regeneration from cell suspension protoplasts of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. (tall fescue) and Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass).

Protoplasts were isolated from one Lolium perenne L. and three Festuca arundinacea Schreb. embryogenic cell suspensions 13 to 30 weeks after initiation from groups of chopped mature embryos. Colonies were formed by protoplasts of all four suspensions. When plated onto solidified medium the morphogenesis of protoplast colonies was similar to that of plated cell suspension colonies. Protoplast and cell suspension colonies of two Festuca lines regenerated green and albino shoots, the third Festuca line was unable to regenerate and the Lolium line formed virtually only albino shoots. These results were repeated in several protoplast isolations over a two month period. Over 100 Festuca protoplast derived cell colonies formed green shoots and over 200 colonies formed albino shoots. Almost 300 Lolium protoplast derived cell colonies formed albino shoots and two colonies formed green shoots. Green Festuca plandets derived from protoplasts were established in soil, but require vernalisation before crossing can be attempted.