Initiation of microspore embryogenesis by stress

Microspores have the remarkable capacity to develop into haploid plants via embryogenesis in vitro. Stress treatment acts as a trigger for inducing this sporophytic pathway, preventing the development of fertile pollen (gametophytic pathway). The doubled haploids generated are completely homozygous, and represent an important tool for research in plant genetics and breeding. In addition, microspore embryogenesis can be used to study plant embryogenesis and phase transitions during the alternation of generations in plants. Microspore culture also allows stress to be analyzed in the novel context of cell cycle regulation and plant development.