The Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding

Anthers of seven wheat (Triticum aestivum L) genotypes and their eight F₁ hybrids involving Kharchia375 and Kharchia65, salt tolerant cultivars, as female parents were cultured on four modified media, both solid and liquid. The per cent anthers forming calli varied between 0 and 9.69 depending upon the genotype, cross and culture medium. Calli yielded both green (upto 5.6%) and albino plantlets (8.5 to 48.9%) on transfer to solidified agar 190-2 regeneration medium. Crosses differed significantly and the best cross with respect to callusing and green plantlet regeneration was Kharchia375 x HD2009. In general responses of different crosses were significantly better in liquid media and the most effective medium overall was P₂ followed by P₄, BAC1 and Heh. Higher green plantlet regeneration abilities from anthers of F₁ hybrids as compared to the parents suggest their use to increase green plant yield. Plantlets thus produced from crosses after diploidization were transferred to pots. Ninety-seven fertile spikes obtained from crosses showed a wide variation for spike length, spikelet number per spike and grain number per spike. The study may be helpful for the development of salt tolerant doubled haploid lines of wheat.