Dj. Wolyn et Xr. Feng, GENOTYPE, TEMPERATURE, AND SAMPLING DATE AFFECT EMBRYOGENESIS IN ASPARAGUS ANTHER CULTURE, HortScience, 28(3), 1993, pp. 216-217
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) anthers from flowers of field-gro
wn plants were cultured for five genotypes, four incubation temperatur
es, and three sampling dates. Treatments were evaluated for total and
embryogenic callus production. Incubating anthers at 35C was optimal f
or initiating embryogenic callus for three genotypes. Another line per
formed best and equally well at 29 and 32C, while one was recalcitrant
to embryogenic callus formation at the temperatures evaluated. For al
l genotypes, almost half of the anthers produced callus for at least o
ne temperature treatment, but the percentage of these calli that was e
mbryogenic ranged from 0% to 50%. Sampling date affected response only
for specific genotype-temperature combinations. Embryo recovery range
d from six to 14 per callus. For the four responsive genotypes, 77% to
100% of plantlets was haploid. Culturing anthers at several temperatu
res ranging from 29 to 35C, with repeated samplings of flowers from th
e field, likely will allow recovery of haploid embryos from many selec
tions. This result will expand the germplasm base to develop all-male
asparagus hybrids.