ISOLATED MICROSPORE CULTURE IN WHEAT (TRITICUM-AESTIVUM L) - THE EFFECT OF COCULTURE OF WHEAT OR BARLEY OVARIES ON EMBRYOGENESIS

In this study the effects of different ovary co-culture methods on spo rophytic development of wheat microspores were investigated. Mechanica lly isolated microspores of greenhouse grown donor plants of wheat (Tr iticum aestivum L.) were co-cultured with wheat or barley ovaries eith er in agarose rings or in culture plate inserts. The viability of the microspores was better in co-culture with wheat ovaries from one culti var as compared to co-culture with a mixture of wheat ovaries from fou r cultivars. Co-culture of the microspores with ovaries in culture pla te inserts had no significant effect on viability of the microspores, but had, in comparison with culture in agarose rings, a large positive effect on the percentage swollen microspores. No clear genotype effec t could be detected. A significant correlation between the number of s wollen microspores and the number of multicellular structures was foun d.