Acta Univ Latv (2006) 710: 131–138

Comparison of anther culture response among Linum usitatissimum L. cultivars and their hybrids

Abstract

Linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an important crop in Lithuania for production of both oil and fibre, but a Lithuanian cultivar of linseed has not previously been developed yet. Identification of responsive genotypes and development of efficient culture protocols are a prerequisite to initiating an effective doubled haploid production system in applied breeding programme. Anther culture response in L. usitatissimum was studied in the hybrid populations from responsive and poor/nonresponsive cultivars and their parental forms. Two different growth regulators combinations and three concentrations of sucrose were studied. Variation for anther culture response was significant both within and between the hybrids and their parents. F1 hybrids, produced from crosses between responsive genotype ‘Lirina’ and poor/non-responsive genotype ‘Barbara’, showed dramatic increases in callus induction in comparison with the parental form on medium supplemented by 1mg l-1 6-benzylaminopurine and 2 mg l-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid containing 6 % sucrose.