Improvement of a field pea double haploid protocol

Double haploids are plants developed from either a male or female gamete, n=1 cell, and therefore are completely homozygous at all loci.  Because all traits are visible within one generation, this methodology adds speed and efficiency to breeding programs.  Androgenesis is the development of an embryo containing only paternal chromosomes.  Within plant tissue culture systems, this usually involves protocols which culture either isolated immature pollen grains or the culture of immature pollen grains contained within the anther.  In the recalcitrant species Pisum sativum, field pea, anther culture protocols have had the most success.

The goal of our research is to improve all aspects of the field pea anther culture protocol including: increasing the number  of immature pollen grains initiated to become embryogenic, improving the regeneration of haploid embryos, and regenerating plants from those embryos.  The areas we are focusing on to achieve these goals are: donor plant physiology, mechanisms of triggering androgenesis, and tissue culture conditions and protocols.

To test the effects of light quality on androgenesis, field pea donor plants are grown under various light filters.	Induced field pea anthers incubated in liquid medium.	Callogenic field pea anthers incubated under embryogenic conditions.