GENOTYPES AND GENOTYPE-X MEDIUM INTERACTION EFFECTS ON ANDROGENETIC HAPLOID PRODUCTION IN WHEAT (TRITICUM-AESTIVUM L)

The present study investigates the effects of media on the rate of embryoid and plantlet formation from anther cultures of four different winter wheat cultivars and their F1 hybrids. Anthers from each genotype were cultured on two different media (P2 medium and MN6 medium containing either sucrose or maltose). The results showed highly significant differences between the genotypes for all traits studied. The genotype x medium interaction, however, was only significant for responding anthers and embryoid induction, but was not significant in the case of green plantlet induction. The best media for embryoid induction and plantlet regeneration were the original P2 medium (Ouyang 1986) and 190-2 medium (Zhuang and Xu 1983), respectively. The greatest mean frequencies of responding anthers and embryoid induction were observed in the cultivar 'Mv 21' and the transformed values were 7.81 and 19.40 respectively . Heterosis was observed in the hybrids investigated compared with their parents, especially, in the case of plantlet regeneration abilities. Therefore using of F1 hybrid plants as anther donors is one of the most effective methods of increasing the yield of green haploid plants.