Somaclonal variation in celery and selection by coculturing toward resistance to Septoria apiicola

Somaclonal variants were used for selection toward Septoria apiicola Speg. resistance in celery (Apium graveolens L.). Callus-derived single cells or small clusters were cocultured with a hypovirulent or a normal isolate of Septoria apiicola on solid medium or were cultured in the fungal culture filtrate. Resistant cells were developed that, unlike their susceptible counterparts, were not killed off by the toxic compounds secreted by the fungus.