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Conversely, mature embryos are available without limit at any time, but are the least frequently used as an explant source because of the low frequency of callus induction. However, recently developed techniques (Bartok and Sagi 1990; Ahmed et al. 1992; Ozgen et al. 1996) such as endosperm- supported mature embryo methods have been approved to induce callus quicker and with higher regeneration capacity depending on the genotypes (Ozgen et al.1996, 1998). As a known fact, callus induction and regeneration is influenced by the genotype (Sears and Deckard 1982; Mathias and Simpson 1986; Chowdhury et al. 1991), source of explant (Ozias-Akins and Vasil 1982; Redway et al.1990) and culture media (Mathias and Simpson 1986; Fennel et al. 1996). Besides, in endosperm- supported mature embryo culture, the size of the seed and consequently the size of the endosperm may additionally influence the callus induction and plant regeneration, since calli use the metabolites of the endosperm.

The objective of this study was to reveal the correlation between the different seed sizes and responses of mature embryo culture, in different wheat (Triticum spp.) genotypes using endosperm-supported mature embryo culture method.


Materials and methods

Four species of three ploidy groups of wheat; diploid (T. monococcum L. and T. boeoticum L.), tetraploid (T. durum Desf. 'Kunduru-1149') and hexaploid (T. aestivum L. 'BezostaJa-1') were used as sources of mature embryos. For each genotype, seed samples were grouped as large and small after they were sieved.

Seeds were surface sterilized for 5 min in 70% (v/v) ethanol, rinsed two times with sterile distilled water and followed by 25 min incubation in a commercial sodium hypochlorite solution containing a few drops of Tween 20. Finally, they were rinsed thoroughly at least 7 times with sterile distilled water. The seeds were then imbibed in sterile water for 11 h at 26C. For hulled wheats, surface sterilization and imbibition procedures were applied after the hulls are removed.

For callus induction, mature embryos were aseptically moved slightly with a scalpel but not excised and were placed furrow downwards in sterile 10 cm petri dishes containing 8 mg/l 2,4-D, pH 5.8 solution which was autoclaved at 121C for 15 minutes. Afterwards, they were left for incubation at 26C in the dark for 11 days. At the end of the incubation period, the number of calli and their fresh weights were calculated.

The calli were transferred into hormone-free MS medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962) containing (2mg/l) glycine, (20g/l) sucrose and (7g/l) agar at pH 5.8. The transferred callus cultures were incubated at 26C in the dark for 3 weeks and grown further at 26C 16 h light and 8 h dark period in a fresh medium prepared in the same way for regeneration. Photoperiod was obtained by using 40W tungsram (1500 lux) fluorescence lights.

A completely randomized design with three replications per seed group for each genotype was used. Petri dishes containing 20 seeds were considered the units of replication (total 120 seeds per genotype). The effect of species on culture responses was determined by analysis of variance and least significant difference (LSD) tests.. Correlation coefficients were calculated for relationships between different characters. Differences between large and small seeds were evaluated with the chi-square test for independence (Steele and Torrie 1960).

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