Js. Machuka et al., EMBRYO CULTURE AND GEL-ELECTROPHORETIC IDENTIFICATION OF NUCELLAR ANDZYGOTIC SEEDLINGS OF CITRUS-LIMON (L) AND CITRUS-SINENSIS (L), Discovery and innovation, 5(1), 1993, pp. 75-80
Five enzyme systems: peroxidase, esterase, glutamate oxaloacetate tran
saminase, malate dehydrogenase and malic were assayed in Citrus limon
(rough lemon) and Citrus sinensis (Valencia) by polyacrylamide gel ele
ctrophoresis. Isozyme profiles were used to distinguish nucellar from
zygotic seedlings produced from in vitro culture of preformed embryos.
The frequency of zygotic seedlings resulting from open-pollination va
ried between 0.0% and 9.0%. Embryo culture significantly enhanced the
recovery of zygotic seedlings in Rough lemon but not in Valencia. Plan
tlets produced via in vitro nucellar embryogenesis were genetically un
iform. The isolation and culture of preformed embryos resulted in the
production of up to 13 and 9 seedlings per seed in Valencia and Rough
lemon, respectively. The use of tissue culture and isozymes as tools i
n citrus breeding is discussed.