Optimization of culture conditions for improved plant regeneration efficiency from wheat microspore culture

Abstract

The production of haploid plants through microspore culture is a very important tool for plant breeding. However, progress in microspore culture for many species has been hampered by a number of factors that have resulted in low recovery of regenerated green plants. In this study, a series of experiments were conducted to increase the regeneration of haploid green plants from isolated wheat microspores. The use of different basal media and variations in media components resulted in the increased recovery (approximately double) of regenerated haploid wheat plants. Our findings demonstrate that CHB medium, in combination with 2,4-d, was a better medium for embryoids induction and plant regeneration than medium MC17 with either 2,4-d or PAA growth hormones. Wheat microspores cultured without ovary co-cultivation did not respond. Furthermore, high efficiency of microspore derived embryoids (up to 296 MDEs per 100 anthers) and green plant regeneration (up to 71 green plants per 100 anthers) were achieved by the use of gelrite instead of agarose as a gelling agent, and by the addition of media additives such as spent medium or MET.