PRODUCTION OF PLANTS FROM POLLEN IN CYCLAMEN-PERSICUM MILL THROUGH ANTHER CULTURE

Anther culture response was examined in diploid (2n = 2x = 48) and tet raploid (2n = 4x = 96) cultivars of C. persicum. Embryoids were produc ed in N6, BS or MS medium containing 0.02 approximately 2 mg/l NAA and 6% to 12% sucrose under dark conditions although the optimum basic me dium for embryo production was N6 or B5 and the optimum sucrose concen tration for embryo production was 9%. The anthers containing early- an d late-uninucleated pollen grains produced embryoids, while those cont aining early-binucleated pollen grains were completely unresponsive. E mbryoid production was inhibited by high temperature treatment, but pr omoted by low temperature treatment at 5-degrees-C for 2 days. The emb ryoids developed into plantlets by transplanting to the B5 medium cont aining 3% sucrose. Chromosome observation of the mature plants derived from these embryoids showed that haploid and diploid plants were obta ined by anther culture of diploid cultivars, and that dihaploid and te traploid plants were obtained by anther culture of tetraploid cultivar s. Cytological observation of pollen grains during anther culture show ed the presence of multicellular grains at various stage. These result s suggest that plants obtained by anther culture of cyclamen originate d from pollen grains.