INITIATION OF EMBRYOGENESIS FROM CULTURED BARLEY MICROSPORES - A FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THE TOXIC EFFECTS OF SUCROSE AND GLUCOSE

The toxic effects of sucrose and glucose upon Hordeum vulgare L. cv Ig ri microspore cultures were investigated. It was concluded from this s tudy that: microspores could be cultured in the presence of low concen trations of glucose without any deleterious effects upon cell viabilit y, but the microspores did not form embryos or calluses. microspores d ied when incubated in the presence of 40 mM glucose during the first 2 of days of incubation, but, if glucose was added after this period, c ells went on to produce embryos or calluses. the toxic effects of sucr ose upon cultured microspores were irreversible after 6 h from the sta rt of incubation. Implications of these results on underlying causes o f cell death in the presence of sucrose and glucose are discussed.