(go to NO.94 Contents)


Results and discussion

In vitro screening and organogenesis of haploid calli: For in vitro screening of haploid calli, the calli were transferred on threshold level (T medium i.e. MS1 supplemented with 10 mg/l of culture filtrate) and growth was recorded (Table 1). The haploid calli of the cross (UP2338 x HD2285) F1 x maize were transferred to MS1, and T media and it was observed that callus growth was -16.1 per cent in the former and 1.4 per cent in later medium. However, for (WH533 x PBW343) F1 x maize cross the callus growth was 8.8 per cent in MS1 and 1.0 per cent in T medium. The per cent callus growth was decreased in both the crosses m culture filtrate treatment. It was observed that there are chances of obtaining resistant DH plants from these screened calli. Whereas, other two crosses namely (UP2338 x PBW343) F1 x maize and (WH533 x HD2285) F1 x maize failed to show any callus development and hence plantlet regeneration. The possible reason can be the timing of embryo rescue, for these two crosses may be somewhat different or some modifiers may be affecting embryo recovery.

Haploid callus survival at threshold level was Observed 56.5 per cent for (UP2338 x HD2285) F1 x maize and 57.1 per cent for (WH533 x PBW343) F1 x maize cross (Table 1). In both the crosses after callus screening the frequency of embryoids per callus was less than one. Whereas, per cent plant obtained after converting to DH using colchicine was 30.8 and 16.7 for the crosses (UP2338 x HD2285) F1 x maize and (WH533 x PBW343) F1 x maize, respectively. However, number of regenerated DH shoots from plated calli were 4 and 2 for the respective crosses.

This reduction in obtaining regenerants could he due to colchicine treatment given in between. Barnabas et al. (1991) and Mentewab and Sarrafi (1997) reported similar findings. They observed that colchicine treatment applied in induction medium slightly decreased the frequency of embryoids and hence per cent regeneration.

Converting haploid to doubled haploids: The efficiency of colchicine in converting haploids to doubled haploids at embryoid stage and seedling stage is presented in Table 2. The efficiency of converting haploid seedlings was less than the efficiency of converting haploid calli having embryoids into doubled haploids. When embryoids and seedlings were treated with colchicine, in cross (UP2338 x HD2285) F1 x maize 75.0 and 57.9 per cent DH plants were obtained, respectively. Similarly, in second cross i.e. (WH533 x PBW343) F1 x maize 100 per cent doubled plants were obtained by treating the embryoids in induction medium, whereas, it was 53.9 per cent when seedlings were treated with colchicine solution. Results showed that for converting haploids into doubled haploids it was observed that embryoids plated on colchicine mediated medium give higher frequency of DH plants as compared to the whole seedlings treated with colchicine. These results are in accordance with that of Mentwab and Sarrafi (1997).

This investigation mainly embarked on validating in vitro methodology for development of DHs possibly tolerant to Karnal bunt using Indian wheat x maize crosses. Wheat x maize cross scheme as adopted in present investigation would be quite helpful in reducing the time of breeding programs aimed at developing disease resistant genotypes (DH) combining favorable gene constellations in homozygous state. Our studies indicated that culture filtrate of the fungi Neovossia indica can be used successfully under controlled environmental tissue culture conditions to pick up tolerant calli which can be regenerated to whole plant.


<--Back | -->Next
(go to NO.94 Contents)