EFFECT OF INDUCTION MEDIUM PH AND MALTOSE CONCENTRATION ON IN-VITRO ANDROGENESIS OF HEXAPLOID WINTER TRITICALE AND WHEAT

Low levels of in vitro androgenesis limit the utility of anther culture as a routine tool for the improvement of triticale. The objectives of this research were to determine the effect of induction medium modifications on the embryoid induction (EI) and green plant regeneration (GPR) of three hexaploid winter triticales and a hexaploid winter wheat. Medium modifications were factorial combinations of gelling agents, pH and maltose concentration. There was a significant difference in the response of wheat and triticales. An induction medium pH of 4.8 vs. 5.8 led to higher EI percentages in all cases and in Ficoll containing medium to a significantly higher GPR in the wheat, but it had no effect on the response of the triticales. Maltose at 0.26 M vs. 0.21 M increased the EI of both the triticales and the wheat but led to higher GPR only in the case of wheat. Averaged over genotypes, induction media with agar and Ficoll 400 were superior to the liquid form. In terms of GPR the wheat gave the highest response: 9.1%. The GPR percentages for the triticales ranged from 1.4 to 7.1. Genotype specificity must be overcome if anther culture is to be routinely used in diverse arrays of triticale germplasm.