Genetic studies of anther culture ability in rice (Oryza sativa)

Inheritance of three anther and culture characters, callus induction, green plant regeneration and culture efficiency was studied using incomplete diallel crosses with a gamete model. It was suggested that callus induction was mainly controlled by gametic additive effects and with less effect of the maternal effects. Green plant regeneration was mainly determined by maternal effects with less influence of gametic additive effects. Culture efficiency was controlled by gametic additive, maternal and cytoplasmic effects. Cultivar Lunhui 422 showed positive genetic effects for all three traits and was a very good parent for rice anther culture breeding. Significant positive heterosis was observed for callus induction. Both gametic additive and maternal correlations contributed to the significant genotypic and phenotypic correlations between callus induction and green plant regeneration suggesting these two traits to be linked.