Genotypic variation in anther culture and effect of ovary coculture in durum wheat

The response of anthers to in vitro culture and the effect of coculture of ovaries on anther culturability have been studied in responsive and recalcitrant cultivars of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) from Morocco and ICARDA. A large genotypic-dependence of anther culture has been shown in 18 cultivars. Their response in term of callus and embryo induction varied from 0 to 13%. Coculture of ovaries with anthers enhanced the response of the most responsive genotype (cv. Sarif) and removed the recalcitrance in Cocorit and Isly cultivars. However, there was no effect of anther-ovary coculture on green plant regeneration. The implication of the genome and the media conditioning by the ovaries on anther response is discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Investigations of proliferative and senescent callus of soybean

Different explant sources from several Giycine max (L.) Merr. cultivars and several G. soja F. J. Herm Plant Introductions were tested for calluas production. Embryo axis explants produced callus most readily; hence, they were selected for media response studies and microscopic evaluation. Two callus types, proliferative and senescing, were identified and characterized by light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Proliferative callus was composed of chloroplast-containing cells interspersed with colorless meristematic areas, while senescing callus contained mostly large, vacuolate cells without chloroplasts. In SEM preparations a furry, layered, mucilaginous coating was seen on the outer surface of the senescing callus, while proliferative callus cells had uncoated, smooth or wrinkled surfaces. The mucilage contained glucose and galactose.     

Inheritance of anther culture derived green plantlet regeneration in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A study was set up to determine the inheritance and combining ability of the factors anther culture response and green plant regeneration. Reciprocal crosses were made between cultivar Ringo Sztar, showing high anther culture response and the cultivars Ciano 067 and Benoist H77022, showing a high level of green plant regeneration. Averaged over all genotypes, 23.0% of the anthers responded and a callus induction frequency of 77.8% was observed. Of all the embryos, 43.0% developed into plantlets, 25.6% of the regenerants being green, the result being that 3.3 green plants per 100 anthers were formed. Genotypic effects accounted for 57.7%, 86.3% and 77.5% of the total variance of anther culture response, callus induction frequency and embryo induction frequency, respectively. Additive and dominant gene action was detected for all characteristics, including green plant regeneration. No reciprocal differences were found for anther culture response, embryo induction frequency and green plant regeneration, indicating no cytoplasmic effects. A small but significant reciprocal difference was found for callus induction frequency. Embryo production was primarily correlated with anther culture response and not with the number of embryos produced per plated anther or per responding anther. Possible mechanisms for the inheritance of green plant regeneration are discussed.Abbreviations CIRA callus induction frequency per responding anther - ERA embryo induction frequency per responding anther - FHB fusarium head blight - MS-medium Murashige & Skoog (1962) medium - REML residual maximum likelihood     

Extracellular Matrix Surface Network During Plant Regeneration in Wheat Anther Culture

Androgenic plant regeneration from wheat anther callus was accompanied by the formation of a conspicuous extracellular matrix surface network (ECMSN) around the induced callus cells and young embryo-like structures. Microscopic observations at the onset of regeneration revealed the presence of two distinct types of cells on the callus surface: large, loosely attached parenchymatous cells and small tightly packed meristematic cells arranged in multicellular clusters. Parenchyma cells of the callus had smooth surface, while on the surface and between the cells of multicellular clusters numerous fine fibrils of ECMSN were observed. The structural arrangement of the ECMSN changed during culture. On the surface of globular embryo-like structures, before protoderm formation, the ECMSN was the most abundant and arranged as a compact layer of secretion with wide strands visible at the cell junctions. Further development of globular embryos was disturbed, giving rise to branched structures outlined by continuous epidermis. The development of such regenerants was accompanied by gradual degradation of the extracellular network and finally its complete disappearance. Digestion with protease did not destroy the network. Treatment of the calluses with chloroform and washing with ether–methanol led to partial destruction of the network, while digestion with pectinase removed the network completely and resulted in the collapse of surface embryo cells.     

Callus formation versus differentiation of cultured barley embryos: hormonal and osmotic interactions

The effect of various plant growth substances as single agents was evaluated in a complex tissue culture system: whole embryo culture of early differentiating barley embryos. Callus formation in unsupplemented medium derives from the mesocotyl and is uniquely characteristic of cultures initiated at this stage of embryonic development. This phenomenon could be prevented or reversed by incorporation of gibberellic acid in the medium resulting in plantlet formation. Indoleacetic acid enhanced callus growth, whereas kinetin did not promote either callus or meristematic development. Callus tissue markedly accumulated starch, effectively lowering the cellular osmolarity, while inducing a corresponding rise in the osmolarity of the culture medium. This osmotic pattern was reversed by gibberellic acid induction of shoot formation. These osmotic-hormonal interactions are interpreted relative to in vivo, in situ normal embryogeny or developmental lesions such as tumors.     

Studies on Cell Suspension Culture and Plant Regeneration in Rice

The present paper reports the establishment of rice cell suspension culture system, including callus induction and proliferation, isolation of single cells and small aggregates, cell suspension culture and callus re-formation, as well as regeneration of plantlets. The results have been obtained as follows: 1. The compositions of the different media used for callus induction, callus proliferation, cell suspension and plant regeneration are summarized in Table 1.2. Two kinds of disifectants, mercuric chloride and sodium hypochlorite, were used for surface sterilization of brown rice. The percentage of callus formation and callus yields were much higher when sodium hypochlorite was used (Fig. 3). We suggest that the disinfactant is one of the important factors that affect callus formed at the initial stage has an influence upon subsequent isolation of cells and suspension culture and even plant regeneration. 3. Table 3 shows that addition of yeast extract to the medium improves callus yield greatly and the efficiency of callus formation to a lesser extent. 4. Both medium Ⅱ (modified B5 medium) and N6 medium were suitable for cell suspension culture, but medium II was more effective for cell growth and callus re-formation (Fig. 4 and Table 4). 5. Effect of 2, 4-D on cell growth was tested at the concentration range among 0, 10-6, 10-5, 10-4 to 10-3 M. The results indicated that 10-5 M of 2,4-D was most effective for induction of rice callus. It has also been found that absence of 2,4-D increased callus re-formation in suspension culture, but no plant regeneration was observed. 6. By using 7% sucrose in differentiation medium, for all the three varieties, the plant regeneration frequency was raised up to 3 or 4 times than those of the 3% ones (Table 6). Occurrence of albino plants is often reported as one of the problems in rice anther culture. It is, however, no problem in seed-derived rice cell culture.     

Role of Cysteine in Enhancing Androgenesis and Regeneration of Indica Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The effects of amino acid cysteine to culture systems of microspore-derived callus induction as well as plantlet regeneration were studied. Isolated pollen along with anther walls of basmati cultivars, Pusa basmati 1, Basmati 370 and Basmati 386 were cultured in a medium based on N₆ salts supplemented with or without cysteine following pollen embedment in agarose. The induction and regeneration medium with cysteine gave twice as effective androgenesis and plantlet regeneration in recalcitrant basmati rice cultivars as compared with medium lacking cysteine. Unlike the highly responsive model systems, most of the indica cultivars responded rather poorly in anther culture. So the study may accelerate the introgression of desirable genes into basmati rice using anther culture as a breeding tool. Response of microspores in androgenesis, plant regeneration and albinism was genotype specific. Regeneration of Indica rice varieties remains a limiting factor for researchers undertaking transformation experiments.     

Improved plant regeneration from wheat anther and barley microspore culture using phenylacetic acid (PAA)

Summary The effect of the auxin phenylacetic acid (PAA) on wheat anther and on barley anther/microspore culture was investigated. With PAA the induction response was not usually significantly different from controls but a significantly higher number of green plants were produced in wheat anther and barley microspore culture. For wheat anther culture 100 mg/L PAA was beneficial. For barley microspore culture the optimum levels were from 1 to 100 mg/L, depending on genotype. In barley anther culture there were no improvements using PAA. In wheat anther culture, 145 green plants/100 anthers were obtained with cultivar VeeryS, while the average response from twelve F₁ hybrids in the breeding program was 332 green plants/100 anthers. At least 1000 green plants were obtained using isolated microspores from 100 anthers in barley cv. Igri. With cv. Bruce, regeneration occurred only when 100 mg/L PAA was used. The influence of PAA appears at the embryogenic phase of the culture system. The possible mechanisms by which PAA may improve regeneration are discussed.     

Multinucleate plant cells: I. Aneuploidy in a proliferating population

A new method for the production of multinucleate plant cells in meristematic populations is described. This method involves the aneuploidy induction of nuclei of a same cell. Allium cepa root tips were chemically treated, and the multinucleate cells obtained were scored at interphase and mitosis. When meristematic cells are treated with γ-hexachlorocyclohexane in appropriate culture conditions, the anaphase chromatids are distributed into discrete unbalanced groups. This phenomenon has been profited for inducing viable multinucleate cells with aneuploid nuclei after cytokinesis inhibition with caffeine.     

Anther Factor(s) in Barley Anther Culture

The effects of anther tissues were studied systematically on microspores forming multicellular units and furthermore on pollen callus formation in the anther culture of Hordeum vulgare (cv. Sabarlis). Anther productivity was found to be greatly enhanced by use of medium previously conditioned by anthers. In 15 experiments observed, anthers produced 26 times on average more calli in the conditioned medium than in control, in a few cases, even more than 80 times more calli formed. According to this, the authors supposed that cultured anthers released some components, anther factor (s) (AF), which is important to androgenesis in the culture. To achieve high yields of callus, culture was restricted to anthers which had been subpected to cold pretreatment. The temperature stress could not be replaced by the AF. However, for conditioning medium, anthers at binuclear stage were found to be more effective than the test anthers either with or without the pretreatment. Anthers from other 8 barley varieties were also effective for conditioning, as the difference of anther productivity still existed in the culture with conditioned medium between various genotypes tested. Anther response and callus yield were increased in both the culture of anthers at mid and late-uninuclear stage by use of conditioned medium. AF interacted synergistically with m-inositol. Cytological observation showed that AF increased apparently the formation of MPGs, while m-inositol mainly stimulated callus formation from MPGs. To some extent, the effect of exogenous hormone(s) could be replaced by AF. The anther response and pollen callus yield could be much enhanced by increasing anther inoculation density, which also raised the AF level in the culture. Thus, by use of the temperature stress prior to anther culture and culture of test anthers in conditioned medium with m-inositol, or at higher inoculation density, a very high production of pollen callus could be obtained in barley anther culture. For meeting the more specialized requirements of less responsive species or genopypes, the principles given here may be provide some basic information.     

Response of flax genotypes to doubled haploid production

Forty-four flax genotypes with a diverse genetic background were evaluated for anther culture response using a standard anther culture protocol in order to determine the feasibility to initiate a routine haploid production system in applied breeding programs. A strong genotype effect on callus induction and shoot regeneration in anther culture was found in this study. A number of genotypes, including two low cadmium content lines 96-11785 and 96-11826, a high oil content line 96-22109 and a high linolenic acid content line M 4919 were identified as highly responsive. The impact of the findings in this study on flax breeding was discussed. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

BA对大麦花药培养中药壁的衰退和植株再生频率的影响

用含20ppm 6-BA的0.1％吐温-80溶液喷施花粉为单核前期的大麦上部叶片和穗部,明显影响大麦花药培养效率。实验结果表明:1)BA处理可明显延缓培养花药的药壁衰退进程。2)BA处理后的花药,在培养期间,其死亡的花粉数比对照大大减少,相反其双核或多核的花粉数比对照明显增加。3)BA处理虽然没有促进大麦花粉愈伤组织的诱导率,但显著地促进愈伤组织的生长。提高愈伤组织成长率,增加可转入分化培养的愈伤组织块数。4)BA处理促进愈伤组织的再分化,尤其是绿苗的分化。     

Effects of light regimes on anther culture response in bread wheat

This experiment was initiated to further test the effects of light regimes during callus induction and plant regeneration on anther culture response of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Spring wheat cultivars 'Edwall' and 'WA 7176' with high callus induction from anther culture but low green plant production were used. Different gro-lux light and dark regimes during callus induction, and gro-lux light and fluorescent light regimes during plant regeneration were used. Callus induction decreased significantly at relatively high light intensity (315 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) applied at any period of culture when compared to continuous dark. Light regimes used continuously and from the 15^th to the last day of callus induction also had a significant negative effect on plant regeneration compared to continuous dark and light application in the first half of callus induction. During plant regeneration, '15 day dark + 7 day gro-lux light' significantly increased plant regeneration compared to both 'gro-lux' and 'fluorescent light' regimes. Light regimes during both callus induction and plant regeneration and their interaction effects were found to be highly significant on green plant proportion and green plant yield. 'Continuous light' application during callus induction increased green plant proportion more than other applications in contrast to its negative effect on plant regeneration. During plant regeneration, '15 day dark + 7 day gro-lux light' had the higher green plant proportion compared to only 'fluorescent light' and only 'gro-lux light'. The highest green plant yields were obtained from '15 day dark + 7 day gro-lux light' during plant regeneration in combination with either 'continuous dark' or 'continuous light' regimes during callus induction. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Factors affecting anther culturability of recalcitrant barley genotypes

One major problem encountered with cereal anther culture is that some genotypes are low or non-responders to the technique. The objective of this study was to improve anther culture efficiency of recalcitrant barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes. Reciprocal F₁s between the two low responsive cultivars, Morex and Steptoe, were used. These were chosen because doubled haploids (DH) were required from these genotypes for the North American Barley Genome Mapping project. Ficoll 400 at 200 g l^–1 in the induction medium significantly increased green plant production compared to four other media formations containing different gelling/viscosity modifying agents. Cold pretreatment of donor spikes of 28 vs 14 d resulted in an increase in embryoid, total plant and green plant production. Anther culture response in these experiments was little influenced by donor plant growth conditions. Indole-3-acetic acid (1 mg l^–1) or 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (2 mg l^–1) in the induction medium did not affect anther culturability or plant regeneration. Based on this research, the negative genotypic effect for doubled haploid production could be diminished, which is desirable for practical application.Abbreviations BAP 6-benzylaminopurine - IAA Indole-3-acetic acid - LS Linsmaier & Skoog - NAA 1-naphthaleneacetic acid - DH doubled haploid     

Wheat anther culture: effect of genotype and environmental conditions

Twenty-two cultivars and lines of winter and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were studied, most for the first time, for their anther culture response. The response was genotype dependent. Plants grown in the field gave higher callus induction frequency than those grown in the greenhouse and the controlled environment chamber. Donor plants grown in a season of low drought stress as compared to a season of severe drought stress resulted in a higher frequency of callus induction. Spherical microcalli were observed in two wheat genotypes in some of only those anthers that were placed with only one loculus in contact with the medium. Wheat lines that were more responsive to anther culture were identified.     

The early ontogeny of embryoids and callus from pollen and subsequent organogenesis in anther cultures of Datura metel and rice

Summary Haploidy induction through anther culture has been examined in Datura metel and rice with a view to tracing the precise sequence of development of the pollen, either directly or through an intervening callus, into an embryo and seedling. In D. metel, the vegetative cell of the young pollen grain assumes the major role in formation of embryos whereas the generative cell and its few derivatives degenerate. Embryos and seedlings arising directly from pollen without an intervening callus phase always proved to be haploids, whereas those differentiating from pollen-derived callus gave haploid, diploid and even triploid plants. Cytological analysis of callus tissue showed cells of various ploidy levels ranging from haploid to triploid, and in rare instances even with higher chromosome numbers.In rice anther cultures the embryoids arose from an initial callus phase. Of 15 different rice cultivars tried, only four produced a callus, and in only one, was there differentiation of plants, both haploid and diploid ones. Among other species tried, egg plant has also yielded plantlets through a callus phase whereas only callus production has been achieved in jute, tea and petunia. No response has been obtained in wheat, maize, cotton and coconut.Coconut milk (CM) appears to be the most important component of the medium for the initial induction of embryoids and callus in anther cultures of most of the species tried. However, further growth and differentiation of plants may require a simpler medium; in D. metel, continued culture on CM led to dedifferntiation.Dedicated to the memory of the late Dr. J. P. Nitsch.     

Cytological analysis of early microspore divisions and embryo formation in cultured soybean anthers

Young inflorescences of two Brazilian soybean cultivars (IAS 5 and RS 7) were subjected to 4 °C pretreatment for 0, 5, and 10 days. Cytological examinations of the t in vitro anthers were done during the first four weeks of culture. The cold pretreatment had no clear effect on the frequencies of symmetrical-binucleate microspores or multinucleate grains. The multinucleate grains might originate either by symmetrical or assymmetrical division. The best medium for callus and embryo induction was B5 long containing 2.0 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ benzyladenine. The frequency of anthers/calli with embryos was about 2% in all cultivars. Histological analysis of such embryos showed that they were similar to zygotic embryos. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of regeneration potential of mature embryo derived callus in Indian cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

A protocol for plant regeneration in Indian cultivars of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) has been developed using mature embryo culture. The influence of various auxins 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid), Dicamba (3,6-dichloro-o-anisic acid) and Picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid) on the callus induction and subsequent plant regeneration revealed highest percent of callus induction form cultivar (cv) BL 2 on MSB₅ medium (MS salts + B₅ vitamins) supplemented with 6 mg l^?1 Picloram, but maximum number of shoot buds (6–13) were regenerated on MSB₅ medium containing 0.5 mg l^?1 Picloram. Regenerated shoots were rooted on half-strength MSB₅ medium. Plantlets were successfully transferred to soil and grown to maturity in greenhouse. The effect of copper sulphate revealed significant improvement in callus induction and plant regeneration when the concentration of CuSO₄ was increased to 3 μM (30 times higher than normal MS medium) for cv BL 2. Regeneration potential differed for different cultivars of barley used, with highest for cv BL 2 and lowest for cv BH 924. We conclude that the Indian barley genotypes exhibit plant regeneration from mature embryo cultures. The protocol has potential application in barley improvement through genetic engineering.     

大麦籽粒及花药愈伤组织的游离氨基酸含量分析

对同一基因型大麦花药愈伤组织与籽粒中的游离氨基酸含量尤其是赖氨酸含量之间的关系进行分析,结果表明,对同一基因型而言,愈伤组织及籽粒中的同一氨基酸含量高低具有相同趋势。同时着重分析了愈伤组织中游离脯氨酸的含量与绿苗分化的关系,结果表明游离脯氨酸含量高的愈伤组织,其绿苗分化率较高,说明脯氨酸对绿苗分化具有重要作用。966259的花药愈伤组织及籽粒中的游离氨基酸总含量及游离赖氨酸含量均最高。     

In vitro anther culture of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) genotypes and of a C. clementina × C. sinensis ‘Hamlin’ hybrid

Citrus, and particularly sweet oranges, are very recalcitrant to anther culture. In this paper it was evaluated for the first time the response of 27 genotypes of Citrus sinensis and of one hybrid C. clementina × C. sinensis, to in vitro anther culture. Ten genotypes of sweet oranges showed embryogenic callus induction, mostly blood sweet oranges genotypes, such as Tarocco, Moro and Sanguinelli. In vitro microspore developmental switches from the gamethophytic to the sporophytic pathway were shown by DAPI staining in microspores of these responsive genotypes, after 10 months in culture. However, microsatellite marker analyses showed that these calli were heterozygous. The flow-cytometric analysis of these embryogenic calli showed the presence of two peaks, corresponding to haploid (n) and diploid (2n) genotypes. Differently, anther cultures of the hybrid C. clementina × C. sinensis produced tri-haploid (3n) embryogenic calli and the embryos obtained were homozygous when analyzed by molecular markers (sample sequence repeats), confirming the more responsive characteristic of clementine to microspore embryogenesis through anther culture.