Combining ability of callus induction and plant regeneration in sorghum anther culture

Abstract

Fifteen F1 hybrids derived from a six-parent diallel mating set (without reciprocal) of sorghum genotypes were used to investigate the combining ability for callus induction and plant regeneration. Anthers at a young stage were collected from the parents and hybrids, which were grown in a greenhouse, and cultured on a modified Murashige and Skoog medium containing 1.0 mg L-1 IAA, 2.5 mg L-1 2,4-D and 2.0 mg L-1 kinetin. Calli of 2 to 5 mm in diameter were transferred to a regeneration medium containing 2.5 mg L-1 kinetin and 3.0 mg L-1 IAA for plant regeneration. The general combining ability (GCA) accounted for a larger proportion than the specific combining ability (SCA) for callus induction (179.83, mean square for GCA vs. 31.75, mean square for SCA) and for plant regeneration (1225.73, for GCA vs. 410.37, for SCA). Some parents and hybrids showed high callus induction ability accompanied with high green-plant regeneration ability. Thus, improvement of the rate of green-plant regeneration in anther culture through crossing and selection may be possible.