ISOLATION OF REDUCED GENOTYPES OF HIERACIUM-PILOSELLA USING ANTHER CULTURE

Plants of reduced ploidy were derived from anther tissue of a pentaplo id, apomictic biotype of Hieracium pilosella (mouse-ear hawkweed). Cal lusing was observed from both the somatic and generative tissue of the anther. Capitulum diameter was used as a correlative character to det ermine the best stage for harvesting the tissue. The highest degree of callusing coincided with the early uninucleate stage of microsporogen esis. Regenerants included tetraploids, triploids and two classes of a neuploids. Segregation for apomixis was observed among the tetraploid regenerants, an indication of the dominant inheritance of apomixis in this species.