A cost-based index of anther culture response in diverse wheat-breeding germplasm

Abstract

Anther culture response in a diverse range of Australian wheat-breeding genotypes was tested and expressed as a 'culturability index' based on the actual costs of the various laboratory procedures. When the delay from harvest to plating was up to 12 h, the use of low dose gamma irradiation did not increase the anther culture response in this array of genotypes. This is in contrast to previous findings for which spike harvesting, irradiation, and plating was completed within 3 h and the irradiation treatment increased the anther culture response. Internal contamination of immature spike explants with Fusarium poae caused significant loss of cultures and may be a persistent problem for cereal anther culture. For the genotypes producing green regenerants, costs ranged from $A1.40 to $85/green regenerant.