Effect of Parental Genotypes and Their Reciprocal Crosses on Haploid Plant Production by Anther Culture and Confirmation of Double Haploids by Flow Cytometry in Bread Wheat

Double haploids (DHs) production and utilization is an important aspect of wheat breeding programs in worldwide, because, it provides many advantages over the conventional breeding program. Therefore, in vitro and in vivo responses of anther derived two bread wheat cultivars and their F1 crosses were investigated. Results showed significant genetic variation among the tested bread wheat genotypes. The pre-cold treated anther derived embryonic calli and shoot induction (%) were obtained from all genotypes that ranged 44 - 76% and 32 - 58% respectively. The highest shoot induction from embryonic calli was achieved from F1 cross of Zubkov x Atay-85, whereas, lowest induction was obtained from Atay-85 cultivar. The F1 cross (Zubkov x Atay-85) showed a better response in anther culture in term of shoots per plant and root induction than their respective parental genotypes.The present results indicated positive and significant heterotic effects of F1 crosses for calli and shoot induction that also showed less albino plant regeneration after colchicine treatments. Total number of 114 anthers driven DHs lines from two genotypes and their F1 crosses were regenerated, confirmed by flow-cytometry and evaluated under field condition. Some DHs lines were found to be significantly superior for agronomical traits including seed yield than the parental genotypes as well as local bread wheat (control) cultivars.