Abstract: Ponkan (Citrus reticulata Blanco) , which is very seedy, is one of the most widely grown mandarin cultivars in China for its good quality. Mitochondrial genome of Microcitrus papuana is related to seedlessness. But it is of difficulty to transfer the cytoplasmic genome of the latter. The present research involves electrofusing embryonic protoplasts of M. papuana and leaf derived protoplasts of Ponkan, from which plants were obtained. Chromo􀀁
some detection showed that the plants were tetraploids with 36 hromosomes. Amplification with six 10-mer arbitrary primers ident ified the plant as true somatic hybrids though complex band profiles of the regenerated plant were observed. The somatic hybrid plant holds great potential for breeding seedless varieties of Citrus . In addit ion, abnor􀀁
mal growth of the plant in field is discussed herein.

Key words: Citrus, Electrofusion, Somatic hybrid, Tetraploid, RAPD