Abstract
Production of double haploids through anther and microspore culture has aconsiderable potential for shortening the breeding cycle in coconut. Thedevelopmental stage of a microspore is a critical factor in androgensis andmicrospores at late uninucleate stage have been shown to be the mostsuitable stage for in vitro culture for many crop species. Routine cytological; examination of microspores for identifying the correct stage for culture istedious and time-consuming. In the present study, a correlation between themicrospore developmental stage and age of the spadix (in Sri Lanka Tallcoconut) in terms of weeks-before-splitting (WBS) was established forpractical convenience of anther and microspore culture. At the age of eightWBS, anthers consisted of microspore mother cells. Within one week, thesecells underwent meiosis and produced tetrads. The release of microsporesfrom tetrads could be observed in six WBS spadices. Microspores at late uninucleate stage, which is reported as the most suitable stage forandrogenesis, could be obtained from three WBS spadices.
Highlights
Cocos nucifera L. is one of the most important perennial crops in tropical countries
The developmental stage of microspore within anthers of an individual flower bud is a critical factor in haploid induction
Nitsch (1971), reported that the crucial stage for anther culture of Nicotiana tabacum was when microspores are about to undergo the first mitosis and that stage could be recognized from the development of the petals in the floral bud
Summary
Cocos nucifera L. is one of the most important perennial crops in tropical countries. Anther and microspore culture are two techniques for in vitro production of double haploids. The developmental stage of microspore within anthers of an individual flower bud is a critical factor in haploid induction. The uninucleate stage of microspores is the most suitable stage for androgenesis in many crop species (Thanh-Tuyen and Guzman, 1983 a, Metwally et al, 1998). Nitsch (1971), reported that the crucial stage for anther culture of Nicotiana tabacum was when microspores are about to undergo the first mitosis and that stage could be recognized from the development of the petals in the floral bud. Sunderland (1974) and Thanh-Tuyen and Guzman (1983 b) established the correlation between age of the spadix in terms of WBS and the developmental stage of coconut microspore. A convenient method for collecting anthers at the correct developmental stage without testing each one of them before culturing will greatly facilitate in vitro culture work
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