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Diverse processes leading to doubled haploid (DH) plant production, such as microspore embryogenesis, gynogenesis, and distant hybridization followed by genome elimination, are based on the unique ability of plant cells to form haploid embryos without fertilization. All of these are possible because of various in vitro culture systems that enable the growth and development of tissues or single cells outside of the parental organism. The possibility of re-directing cell development from its original pathway to embryogenesis brings several benefits to many research areas, but the most important is the possibility of its implementation in breeding programs. This review summarizes the achievements of Polish research groups in studies of the mechanisms of haploid/DH embryo development and demonstrates the practical applications of these systems in basic studies and plant breeding. It shows the results of studies on economically important crops including barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), triticale (Ã--Triticosecale Wittm.), oat (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris L.), and some vegetable species, including carrot (Daucus carota L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), red beet (Beta vulgaris L.), and members of the Brassicaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]