Study of individual plant responsiveness in anther cultures of selected pepper (Capsicum spp.) genotypes

Abstract

One of the key factors determining the effectiveness of pepper anther cultures is donor plant genotype. The stock material for androgenic embryos inductions is usually made up of hybrid forms, since the higher the degree of heterozygosity, the greater the chances of producing regenerates with unique genotypes. The aim of the presented research was to evaluate individual plant reaction in anther cultures for the C. annuum hybrid (‘ATZ1’ × ‘TG’)F2, interspecific hybrid (C. frutescens × C. chinense)F2 and androgenic DH line AT6. The effectiveness of androgenesis was determined individually for each plant as the percentage of the embryos produced compared to the total number of anthers cultured. In the hybrid (‘ATZ1’ × ‘TG’)F2, anthers of 19 out of 20 plants evaluated produced embryos at a rate of 0.5 to 16.5%. Anthers of the AT6 DH line formed embryos considerably less frequently. A positive reaction was recorded for 13 out of 20 plants and the effectiveness of androgenesis did not exceed 3% for this genotype. The lowest androgenic response was recorded for the hybrid (C. frutescens × C. chinense)F2, where embryo development was observed in only five out of 19 plants and the effectiveness of androgenesis did not exceed 2%. The ploidy level of the regenerates was defined cytometrically. The analysis revealed the presence of haploid and diploid plants among the regenerates of all the genotypes evaluated.