Effect of silver nitrate on anther culture embryo production of different Brassica oleracea morphotypes

The effect of three concentrations of silver nitrate on anther culture embryo production was studied in 27 morphotypes of Brassica oleracea. Embryo yields were significantly increased in the majority of the morphotypes by the addition of silver nitrate to the media. Embryo yields were not increased in only a few of the almost nonembryogenic accessions. The magnitude of the response to silver nitrate varied with the different morphotypes. In general, the best results were obtained with the addition of 10 mg l(-1) AgNO3. Without the addition of silver nitrate no embryos would have been obtained in some of the nonembryogenic morphotypes. Data suggests that silver nitrate addition to anther culture media promoted embryo production in different B. oleracea morphotypes. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.