INVESTIGATIONS ON LIQUID CULTURE MEDIUM AS A MEANS OF ANTHER CULTURE IN NICOTIANA

In comparison to results obtained with a culture medium solidified with agar, it was possible to increase the percentage of plantlet-producing anthers in N. [tabacum] considerably by the use of a liquid medium. Even with anthers at non-optimal microspore developmental stages, that is at the tetrad to uninucleate or at the binucleate stage, a better result was obtained in comparison to a control on an agar medium. The formation of androgenic embryos was inhibited during a fairly long period of culture. In accordance with the results of Nakamura and Itagaki (1973) and Anagnostakis (1974), activated C also had a stimulating effect. These findings are discussed in their relation to factors within the anthers referred to by Sunderland and Wicks (1971). It was possible to reduce the inhibitory effect of the culture medium solidified with agar by dialysation of the agar against an activated C suspension.