Microspore Culture for Haploid Plant Production

Abstract

Haploid plants can be produced through in vitro culture of male gametophytic cells at the microspore or immature pollen developmental stage. These cells respond in vitro by undergoing embryogenesis or haploid callus proliferation. Plants can be regenerated through shoot and root induction in haploid callus and through culture of haploid embryos. It is possible to produce homozygous, doubled haploid, pure breeding lines through chromosome doubling treatments applied to haploid cells (Barnabas et al. 1991) or plants (Siebel and Pauls 1989). Guha and Maheshwari (1964) were the first to produce plants in Datura innoxia through the culture of anthers containing immature pollen. Since then, haploid plant production has been reported in more than 200 species (Dunwell 1986). In some species it is possible to produce haploids through the culture of isolated microspores (Keller et al. 1987a). Lichter (1982) reported the induction of haploid embryogenesis in Brassica napus microspore culture, and since then the methodology has been optimized so that high frequency of haploid embryos can be routinely obtained from this species (Keller et al. 1987b).