Embryogenesis and plant regeneration from anther culture in loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica L.)

Abstract

The object of this study was to induce embryogenesis and establish plant regeneration system for anther culture in loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica L.). Cold pretreatment was a key factor, and supplement of 2,4-D in the media was absolutely necessary for induction of calluses from cultured loquat anthers. The best response of anthers to in vitro culture was obtained when a 48-h cold pretreatment was employed to flower buds at 4 °C in darkness. Genotype was a decisive factor for embryo differentiation. When anther-derived calluses of three loquat cultivars, i.e., cv. ‘Longquan1’, ‘Dawuxing’ and ‘Zaozhong6’, were transferred to embryo differentiation medium, embryos were induced only for cv. ‘Dawuxing’ on MS medium containing 3% sucrose, 0.23 μM ZT in combination with 0.05 μM NAA + 0.05 μM IBA or 0.11 μM NAA + 0.10 μM IBA, and the differentiation rates were 3.33% and 10.00%, respectively. The results of histological studies showed that embryos developed through typical globular, heart, torpedo and cotyledon stages after 4 weeks of culture. The treatment designed to mature the embryos on medium containing 3% of sucrose at 4 °C under darkness for 4 weeks was effective for subsequent embryo germination and plant conversion, which gave rise to 72.5% plant recovery. Cytological studies showed that 26 plantlets were haploids ( n = 17) and the remaining 4 plantlets were diploids for the 30 regenerants tested.