DONOR PLANT-GROWTH FACTORS AFFECTING ANTHER CULTURE OF MAIZE AND SWEETCORN (ZEA-MAYS)

Anthers from seven unselected commercial sweetcorn lines and ten experimental maize lines were cultured on a liquid/solid bi-layer culture medium, containing 13% maltose as the carbon source. Mean anther efficiencies (number of embryos per 100 anthers plated) of 0 to 27-6% were recorded, with the maximum efficiency of 57-1% from one plant. The anther efficiency was found to be dependent on genotype, mtcrospore developmental stage and the growth temperatures of donor plants. Immature microspores were found to continue their development during the cold pretreatment of the spikes, and this in turn influenced the level of response to culture. Direct regeneration of embryoids to plants occurred most frequently when well formed urn- or bi-polar embryos were produced. The quality of embryo produced was apparently inversely correlated with the number of embryos produced. © 1992 Annals of Botany Company.