In Vitro Culture and Plant Formation from Grape Cultivars with Abortive Ovules and Seeds

Abstract

Abstract Normal embryos and seedling plants were obtained from abortive ovules and seeds of seedless grape cultivars ‘Perlette’, ‘Flame Seedless’ and ‘Sultanina’. Plant development was accompanied by callus formation only in ‘Perlette’. The best medium was Nitsch’s with the addition of 10-5m IAA and 10-6m GA3. Excision and culturing of ‘Flame Seedless’ ovules 49 days after anthesis gave higher germination percentages and more viable plants than excision and culturing at anthesis plus 28. Selfed ‘Perlette’ and ‘Perlette’ × ‘Flame Seedless’ ovules cultured at 52 days gave 11%, and the reciprocal cross over 16% well developed seedlings. The significance of the findings for breeding stenospermocarpic grapes is discussed.