Improving plant regeneration

1. A method for inducing callus formation from sugar beet plant cells, comprising incubating the sugar beet plant cells in the presence of hyperphyllin or a derivative thereof selected from the group consisting of

combinations thereof.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sugar beet plant cells are incubated in a culture medium comprising the hyperphyllin or the derivative thereof and/or wherein the hyperphyllin or the derivative thereof is introduced into the sugar beet plant cells.

3. A method for producing sugar beet plant shoots, comprising

(i) inducing callus formation according to the method of claim 1 to yield sugar beet callus tissue, and

(ii) cultivating the callus tissue under conditions suitable to induce sugar beet shoot formation.

4. A method for producing a transgenic sugar beet plant, comprising the following steps:

(a) inducing callus formation according to the method of claim 1 to yield sugar beet callus tissue,

(b) introducing into a sugar beet plant cell to be used in step (a) and/or into a cell of the sugar beet callus tissue obtained in step (a) at least one nucleotide sequence of interest or at least one polypeptide of interest,

(c) cultivating the sugar beet callus tissue obtained from steps (a) and (b) under conditions suitable to induce shoot formation to yield sugar beet plant shoots, and

(d) regenerating a transgenic sugar beet plant.

5. A method of producing a genetically modified sugar beet plant, comprising the following steps:

(a) inducing callus formation according to the method of claim 1 to yield sugar beet callus tissue, and

(b) modifying the genome of a sugar beet plant cell to be used in step (a) and/or of a cell of the sugar beet callus tissue obtained in step (a) by introducing into said cell a single stranded DNA break (SSB) inducing enzyme or a double stranded DNA break (DSB) inducing enzyme which recognizes a predetermined site in the genome of said cell, and optionally a repair nucleic acid molecule, and/or a base editor fused to a catalytically impaired SSB or DSB inducing enzyme or fused to a SSB inducing enzyme which recognizes a predetermined site in the genome of said cell,

wherein the modification of said genome is selected from

i. a replacement of at least one nucleotide;

ii. a deletion of at least one nucleotide;

iii. an insertion of at least one nucleotide; or

iv. any combination of i.-iii.,

(c) cultivating the sugar beet callus tissue obtained from steps (a) and (b) under conditions suitable to induce shoot formation to yield sugar beet plant shoots, and

(d) regenerating a genetically modified sugar beet plant.

6. A method of producing a haploid or double haploid sugar beet plant, comprising the steps

(a) inducing callus formation from an immature male gametophyte or a microspore according to the method of claim 1 to yield sugar beet callus tissue,

(b) cultivating the sugar beet callus tissue obtained in step (a) under conditions suitable to induce shoot formation to yield sugar beet plant shoots,

(c) optionally conducting chromosome doubling, and

(d) regenerating a haploid or double haploid sugar beet plant.

7. A transgenic sugar beet plant obtained by the method of claim 4 or a progeny plant thereof.

8. A genetically modified sugar beet plant obtained by the method of claim 5 , or a progeny plant thereof.

9. A haploid or double haploid sugar beet plant obtained by the method of claim 6 or a progeny plant thereof.

10. A sugar beet plant cell or a seed of the sugar beet plant of claim 7 , wherein the sugar beet plant cell or the seed comprises the at least one introduced nucleotide sequence of interest or the at least one polypeptide of interest as a transgene.

11. A sugar beet plant cell or a seed of the sugar beet plant of claim 8 , wherein the sugar beet plant cell or the seed comprises the modification in the genome.

12. A sugar beet plant cell or a seed of the sugar beet plant of claim 9 , wherein the plant cell or the seed comprises a haploid or double haploid set of chromosomes.

13. A method of using hyperphyllin or a derivative thereof selected from the group consisting of formula A1, A2 or A3, in a method for inducing callus formation from sugar beet plant cells or in a method for indirect regeneration of a sugar beet plant,

wherein the hyperphyllin derivatives have the following structures:

14. A method of using hyperphyllin or a derivative thereof selected from the group consisting of formula A1, A2 or A3, in a method for production of a transgenic sugar beet plant cell, plant or seed, in a method for production of a genetically modified sugar beet plant cell, plant or seed or in a method for production of a haploid or double haploid sugar beet plant cell, plant or seed,

wherein the hyperphyllin derivatives have the following structures: