GENETIC STABILITY OF MICROSPORE-DERIVED DOUBLED HAPLOIDS OF BARLEY - A CYTOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL, AND MOLECULAR STUDY

Populations of doubled haploids were produced by culturing microspores from spring barley cv. Tweed, cv. Tyne, and cv. Natasha, on media containing either sucrose or maltose as the only carbohydrate. The populations were analysed for evidence of genetic instability at the karyotype, protein, and DNA levels. The results show very little evidence of induced genetic change. The level of instability is insignificant when compared with that which is observed following meiotic recombination. The stability of microspore-derived lines may be attributed to the embryogenic mode of regeneration, which occurs at a high frequency on a maltose-containing medium. The results are discussed in relation to the exploitation of doubled haploids in barley breeding.