Generation of doubled haploid lines from winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding material using in vitro anther culture

We investigated the anther culture (AC) efficiency of thirteen F4 combinations of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The genotype dependency was assessed during the induction of the androgenic entities, i.e. embryo-like structures (ELS), regenerated-, green-, albino-, and transplanted plantlets. The number of green plantlets per 100 anthers (GP/100A) varied from 0.36 to 24.74 GP/100A with a mean of 8.31 GP/100A. Albino plantlets (AP) occurred in each combination, ranging from 0.20 to 22.80 AP/100A with an average value of 5.59 AP/100A. Between 25–87.76 doubled haploid (DH) plants per 100 acclimatised plantlets (DH/100ADP), depending on the combination, with a mean of 59.74% were recovered. We have found the highest DH production in the combinations Béres/Midas, Kalász/Tacitus, Béres/Pamier, and Premio/5009. This improves remarkably the choice of basic genetic material in subsequent crossing programmes. These observations emphasise the usability and efficiency of in vitro AC in producing a large number of DH lines for breeding and the applied researches of winter wheat. Although albinism was found in each combination, it was mitigated by the in vitro AC application.