Anther culture in Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)

In Brussels sprouts, yields of up to 357 embryos per 100 anthers cultured were obtained using a thermal shock treatment of 16 h at 35°C at the start of the culture period. Treatments of 48 h at 35°C and 14 days at 30°C gave no embryos. The F₁ hybrid cv. Gower consistently gave higher embryo yields than the F₁ hybrid cv. Nym, the differences being 3 to 10-fold. Differences in embryo yield of 3-fold or less were usually not statistically significant because of great variation within a treatment. This variation was less with donor plants raised in a growth room than with those raised in a glasshouse, where temperature and light intensity could not be so accurately controlled. From 842 embryos cultured, 270 plants were regenerated, mostly via hypocotyl explants, which developed from the anther-derived embryos. Most of the regenerants were haploid or diploid, with a few of higher ploidy.