All rights reserved. The successful regeneration of plants from callus tissue is part of a larger project being conducted by Jenderek with the help of plant science professor Arthur Olney. Those characteristics would include the large, colorful flowers and the ability to withstand freezing temperatures. Jenderek was successful this past year in finding an aseptic media in which callus tissue from the Eastern hibiscus would grow.
Callus is a soft tissue that can grow from parts of the original plant.
Under the right conditions, new plants will grow from the callus tissue, Jenderek explained. This was a major step toward accomplishing the final step of protoplast fusion, since any plant cells that have been altered by the fusion process must have a media in which they can grow into a new plant, she said. Jenderek presented her callus findings in a poster at the 96 th Annual International Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science during the summer. The poster title was High regeneration ability of benzyl adenine and naphthalene acetic acid induced callus of Eastern hibiscus. Work toward the fusion portion of the project is continuing this year.