Vigor and variation expressed by anther-derived doubled haploids of burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). I. Comparison of sexual and doubled-haploid populations

Abstract

The genetic consequences of anther culture and chromosome-doubling techniques on burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were examined in this study. Three diploid populations, obtained from a burley tobacco inbred by conventional and anther-culture techniques, were compared. The first population consisted of 50 conventionally-selfed lines; the second population was made up of 35 doubled-haploid lines obtained from individual haploid plants by in vitro techniques (IVDH); and the third population consisted of 20 doubled-haploid lines whose chromosome complements had been doubled with colchicine (CDH). Comparisons of doubled-haploid lines with sexually-derived lines revealed significant differences for yield, maturity, leaf length, and alkaloid content. Yield reductions in the doubled-haploid populations averaged 8.5%. Significant differences observed between the IVDH and CDH populations indicate that the reported deleterious effects of colchicine contributed to the vigor reduction of doubled haploids. The anther derived lines in this study exhibited greater variation than did the sexual materials. This variation could provide useful variation for a breeding program. Variation exhibited by the sexual progeny of the highly inbred line, ‘Kentucky 16’, suggests that the differences among anther-derived materials are at least partially due to natural phenomena.