EFFECT OF COLD PRETREATMENT AND INCUBATION TEMPERATURE ON BREAD WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) ANTHER CULTURE

Two broadly cultivated bread wheat cultivars ("Acheloos" and "Vergina") and their F1 hybrid were used to study the effect of spike cold pretreatment and the incubation temperature on bread wheat anther culture. For this, half of the spikes carrying anthers at the early uninuclate stage were pretreated at 4°C for 7 days. Subsequently, the anthers with or without cold pretreatment were cultured on W14 induction medium and half of the Petri dishes were incubated at 28°C, while the other half were kept at 32°C. The statistical analysis performed, revealed a strong genotype effect on androgenic capacity. With the exception of green plant production, no significant temperature effect was noticed in the three tested genotypes, whereas genotype X treatment interaction was significant only in regeneration rate and green plant production. With respect to green plant production cv "Acheloos", although responded well to all treatments, performed better after cold pretreatment. In contrast the F1 hybrid responded better when it was incubated at 32°C without cold pretreatment. It should be mentioned that no DH plants were obtained from cultivar "Vergina" confirming its poor androgenic capacity,. Finally, the highest number of DH plants was produced by the F1. This could be attributed to heterosis. It was concluded that cold pretreatment is not always needed and the production of haploid plants is more genotype dependent than the temperature under which the anthers are cultured.