| Abstract: | The intergeneric cross between wheat and maize are characterized by a high frequency of formation of hybrid embryos, but maize chromosomes are rapidly eliminated in the first few cell division cycles to produce haploid wheat embryos. If left the embryos on the plants they will soon abort, as a result of the absence or poor development of the endosperm. Embryo rescue techniques should not enable these embryos to grow to plants because of the embryos were extremely young for embryo culture. Viable embryos were obtained at much higher frequenc, if spikes containing cross-pollinated florets were dipped in 100 ppm 2,4-D solution 4 hours after pollination. Of the 382 florets treated, 64(16.8%) embryos were obtained 10 days after treatment, and 47 plants recovered on the culture medium. In control (2,4-D not applied) only 1 (0.96%) embryo and 1 plant was obtained from 104 florets. This simplified technique should enable haploid wheat plants production through wheat - maize to apply to practical breeding. |
