Efficient in vitro anther culture for androgenic plant production in F3-6 winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) bulk combinations

The efficiency of in vitro anther culture (AC) method on six common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) F3-6 bulk combinations was investigated for the AC-induced androgenic traits, such as embryo-like structures (ELSs), regenerated plantlets, green plantlets, albinos, transplanted plantlets, and acclimatized plantlets. Moreover, genotype dependency was tracked among the tested combinations in the AC method. The results showed that all androgenic traits were produced in each tested combination and non-significant differences were found among combinations for all androgenic traits except albinos. The number of green plantlets ranged between 8.00 and 19.00 green plantlets/100 anthers based on the combination, with an overall mean of 14.37 green plantlets/100 anthers. The total number of acclimatized plantlets was 496 plantlets out of the 604 transplanted plantlets, with a rate of 82.12%. This investigation confirms the efficiency and utility of in vitro AC method in winter wheat to produce doubled haploid (DH) lines based on androgenesis for the breeding program and genetic studies. AC-induced DH lines produced subsequently from acclimatized plantlet individuals in the nursery will be inserted in breeding programs for wheat drought tolerance evaluation and in crossing programs for more improvement in green plants production in the nursery. Albinism and genotype dependency, limiting-factors for wheat AC-induced DH production, were mitigated by the application of some modifications of the wheat AC protocol. The modifications included a 2-week cold pre-treatment of donor tiller at 4? in constant dim light and the use of the W14 mf induction medium instead of P4 mf.