An Overview of Triticale Doubled Haploids

This review report on the progress made to develop doubled haploid methods in triticale. Wide hybridization, anther culture and isolated microspores methods have been well established in triticale, and adopted in breeding and germplasm development programs for diverse genotypes. The development of these methods and culture media has co-evolved with those for its wheat counterpart. Essentially the critical factors for success remain the same: genotype, growing condition of mother plants, stress-like pretreatment and the culture medium composition. Today, C17, N6 and NPB99 induction medium for microspore culture are preferred. They carry maltose, sucrose or a combination of both, amino acids such as glutamine or proline, a low concentration of auxin and/or cytokinin. Spontaneous doubling has been reported at a low frequency in microspore derived plants making chromosome doubling by colchicine treatment an absolute need, as for wide hybridization derived plants. Isolated microspore culture is a method particularly attractive that will open new opportunities for gene transfer in triticale.