PRODUCTION OF GYNOGENETIC PLANTS BY IN-VI TRO CULTURE OF FLOWER BUDS IN SHALLOT (ALLIUM-CEPA L VAR AGGREGATUM)

Embryos of gynogenetic origin have been obtained by in vitro culture o f flower buds from many shallot genotypes on basal B5 medium of Gambor g with high sucrose concentration, supplemented with 2,4-D and BAP. Em bryo production started about 50 d after plating and was maximal betwe en the 82nd and the 116th days. Whole flower buds and isolated ovaries gave similar results. The stage of flower buds toward anthesis and su b-culturing on the same medium about 40 d after plating did not affect the results. The number of embryos produced by 100 plated buds greatl y varied according to the genotype (0-55). These numbers were clearly higher than those previously obtained in onions. The percentage of hap loids in the surviving plants, 22 months after plating was 77.6%. The use of doubled haploids in shallot breeding can now be proposed.