Genetic Markers Associated with Green and Albino Plant Regeneration from Embryogenic Barley Callus

Abstract

Genetic control of plant regeneration from cultured plant tissues has been documented for a number of species. The characterization and manipulation of loci that influence morphogenic responses may be useful for the development of highly regenerable germplasm or for physiological investigations. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for morphogenesis from barley cell cultures were identified on the basis of associations of mapped markers with the regeneration responses of 77 doubled haploid (DH) lines derived from the cross Steptoe/Morex. Two models were developed, one describing green plant regeneration, and one describing albino plant regeneration, measured as the numbers of green and albino plants regenerated per gram fresh weight of embryogenic callus. Approximately 62 and 12% of the observed variability for green and albino plant regeneration, respectively, was explained by the models. An independent data set was developed that consisted of the regeneration responses of 25 additional DH lines which were chosen randomly from the same segregating population. The models were tested for their ability to predict the responses of these independent DH lines. This study identified new QTLs for plant regeneration (one for green plants and at least one for albino plants), and confirmed previously reported associations of three QTLs with green plant regeneration.