ANTHER CULTURE RESPONSE OF WILD ORYZA SPECIES

Thirteen different wild species of the genus Oryza were investigated f or their response to anther culture and plant regeneration. Callus ind uction from microspores of anthers was found to be strongly dependent on the species. Although large numbers of anthers from wild Oryza spec ies, including O. barthii, O. latifolia, O. australiensis, O. minuta, O. nivara, O. paragungensis and O. eichingeri, were cultured, no calli could be obtained. However, calli were produced from anthers of O. pu nctata, O. perennis, O. alta, O. ridleyi and O. rufipogon, although th e frequency of callus induction was different. Similar species-depende nce was observed in plant regeneration from microspore-derived calli. In total, 62 plants were derived from anther culture, including 47 alb ino and 15 green plants (of which 26.7% were haploids) from O. perenni s; for the first time, six albino plants were obtained from O. ridleyi . Phytohormone combinations in the callus induction medium were found to influence callus induction and different wild Oryza species exhibit ed their own preferred phytohormone combinations for anther culture. I n general, NK medium containing suitable concentrations of auxin and c ytokinin may be successfully applied for anther culture of selected wi ld Oryza species.