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Wheat Information Service
Number. 81: 6-12 (1995)


Influence of the semidwarf genes, Rht1 and Rht2, upon embryoid induction from anther culture of wheat

K. Yamamoto and H. Miura

Department of Crop Science, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro 080, Japan


Summary

To determine whether the semidwarf genes Rht1 and Rht2 influence on embryoid induction from anther culture, ditelosomic Chinese Spring for chromosomes 4B and 4D, and two sets of semidwarf isolines differing with the alleles at the Rht1 and Rht2 loci were compared. The absence of chromosome arms of 4B and 4D little affected embryoid induction. The Rht1 and Rht2 genes did not reduce embryoid induction in both sets. These results made it clear that there are no problems to improve cultivars carrying these semidwarf genes by means of anther culture method in a doubled haploid breeding program.

Key words: anther culture, embryoid induction, DH breeding, Rht1 and Rht2, Triticum aestivum L.


Introduction

The semidwarf character has played an important part in crop production of major cereals. In common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), twenty semidwarf genes, Rht (reduced height), have been identified. Of them, the genes commercially acceptable and successfully utilized are only Rht1, Rht2 and Rht8. It is sure that these three genes will play a pivotal role in the future breeding programs. The Rht1 and Rht2 genes on the short arms of chromosomes 4B and 4D, respectively, are insensitive to gibberellic acid (GA) (Gale and Marshall 1976). In contrast, the Rht8 gene on the short arm of chromosome 2D is responsive to it (Worland and Law 1980).

Application of doubled haploid (DH) breeding by anther culture is very promising and has many advantages, such that, short breeding period, easy detection of a character controlled by recessive alleles, and so on. Despite significant improvements of anther culture technique, some genotypes show only weak response to current techniques (Andersen et al. 1987; Foroughi-Wehr and Zeller 1990).

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