Anther culture of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) F1's and their reciprocal crosses

Abstract

Anthers from three sets of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell) F₁'s and their reciprocal crosses, made between parental lines differing greatly in their ability to produce microspore derived callus, were cultured on the Chinese potato medium so that we could 1) more clearly define the role of nuclear or cytoplasmic factors within T. aestivum in transferring the ability to undergo in vitro androgenesis, and 2) to briefly review the gametic representation and disease screening potential of the resulting polyhaploid wheat plants. The microspore derived calli values from F₁'s were slightly less than the midparental value. Statistical analysis indicated that the ability of each F₁ to produce callus either did not significantly differ from that of the respective parental line having the highest androgenic yield or it exceeded its respective parental line having the lowest yield. No differences were noted between the members of each pair of reciprocal crosses. The results indicate that the transfer of in vitro androgenic ability to F₁ hybrids is not dependent upon the maternal cytoplasm source. Polyhaploid plants, carrying the Pm 3 a powdery mildew resistance gene, expressed resistance to culture 4 a of powdery mildew.