Interaction of environment and ABA and GA treatments on the maize anther culture response

Treatments designed to influence abscisic acid (ABA) or gibberellin (GA) concentrations were applied to developing tassels of maize (Zea mays L.) plants in different environments or to anthers in culture to determine the effect on formation of embryo-like structures (ELS). Production of ELS was significantly affected in certain environments when ABA, GA3, ancymidol, or fluridone solutions were pipetted into whorls of field-grown plants approximately 3 days before tassel harvest. In 1996 anthers from 10 μM ancymidol-treated plants were most responsive, producing 35 ELS/100 anthers and 50 μM GA3-treated plants were least responsive, producing 12 ELS/100 anthers. In 1997 under hotter, drier conditions, anthers from 50 μM GA3-treated plants were most responsive, producing 20 ELS/100 anthers and those from 50 μM ABA-treated plants were least responsive, producing 2.4 ELS/100 anthers. Anthers from growth chamber plants were significantly more responsive when grown in a 16-h than a 12-h photoperiod. With the 16-h photoperiod the response was significantly greater with a 250 μM ABA whorl treatment. With the 12-h photoperiod there was no significant effect from whorl treatments. Modification of the culture medium with added ABA, GA3, ancymidol, or fluridone was generally ineffective, except in 1997 when the response was significantly higher with 1 μM ABA added to the culture medium. The results suggest that the maize anther culture response may be influenced by environmental conditions that interact with ABA and GA treatments to donor plants during tassel development.