THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES UPON THE INITIATION OF EMBRYOGENESIS FROM BARLEY MICROSPORES

Isolated microspores of Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Igri were incubated in the presence of different sugars. In the presence of maltose, the opti mum concentration for the development of embryoids or calluses from th e microspores was 175 mM. At this concentration 0.2% of the cells deve loped into embryoids or calluses. Microspores cultured without a1 carb ohydrate source died after three days' incubation. In contrast microsp ores incubated in the presence of sucrose, glucose or fructose died wi thin three days. Moreover, microspores also died when incubated in the presence of a1 combination of 175 mM maltose with varying concentrati ons of either sucrose, glucose or fructose. It is concluded that incub ation of microspores in the presence of sucrose, glucose or fructose r esults in the death of the cells via some unknown mechanism. In contra st to this, maltose can sustain development of embryoids and calluses from cultured microspores.