XVI International Botanical Congess

Somatic hybridization opens up fresh possibilities for producing new hybrids between various Hypericum species. The development of methods for protoplast isolation and culturing with subsequent plant regeneration for Hyperi-cum perforatum were demonstrated.We elaborated the method that permitted the long-term maintenance of suspension cultures of various hypericum cultivars without the loss of their morphological and cytological characteristics. An important property if this culture is to be used as the initial material for somatic hybridization. Somatic hybrids by protoplast fusion of Hypericum perforatum with other Hypericum species showed the increasing of variability of regenerated plants in several morphological characters and phytochemical traits. The hybrid cultures maintained these properties during long-term culturing.