Combining-ability analysis of somatic embryogenesis from epidermal layers in the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Crosses were made between three cytoplasmic male-sterile and five restorer sunflower inbred lines. F-1 hybrids, including their parents, were studied for their embryogenetic ability. Sterilized seeds were germinated in culture tubes on agar-solidified basal medium. Seven days after germination, epidermal layers from hypocotyls were transferred into MS and B5 liquid-midia for 5 and 8 days respectively. Then they were transferred to MS-120 solid-medium with a high level of sucrose (120 g/l). The experimental design was complete randomized blocks with three replications. Each replication per genotype consisted of three Erlenmeyer flasks with 20-25 epidermal layers (explants), Analysis of variance indicated the presence of significant variation among genotypes for all traits studied. General combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) showed significant effects for the studied traits. The highest value of GCA for the number of embryogenic explants per 100 explants plated (EE/100EP) belongs to parental female line 'CMS-PET1 B9'. This inberd line also gave a high positive GCA effect for the number of embryos per ten embryogenic explants (E/10EE). Additionally, it had the highest values for EE/100EP and E/10EE (41.70 and 19.28 respectively) and should be a promising parent in crossing programmes for the enhancement of somatic embryogenesis in the sunflower. The highest values of specific combining ability (SCA) for EE/100EP and E/10EE belong to the F-1 hybrid 'CMS-PET1B9 'x' RT1B11' which has produced 53.45 embryogenic explants/100 explants and 9.67 embryos per ten embryogenic explants.