Doubled haploids in production of male sterility maintaining triticale (Triticosecale Wittmack) lines Roman Warzecha, Sławomir Sowa, Krystyna Salak-Warzecha, Sylwia Oleszczuk, Elwira Śliwińska* and Janusz Zimny Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland * University of Technology and Agriculture, Kaliskiego 7, 85-789 Bydgoszcz, Poland Key words: androgenesis, anther culture, Tritico- secale Abstract The androgenetic response of several selected male sterility- maintainer genotypes of triticale was investigated. Androge- nesis induction was obtained in all cultivars, but a large ge- notypic variation in green plant regeneration was observed. The number of regenerated triticale plants varied from 0.1 to 4.7 green plants per spike, depending on genotype. Spontane- ous doubling of chromosomes varied from 14 to 60 % for par- ticular genotypes and, on average, reached the value of 34 % for all genotypes. Fertile DH lines obtained in this study will find practical application in the development of triticale male sterile lines that are desirable in hybrid breeding. Introduction The potential of Triticale as a forage crop is still very promising and diversity within its gene pool is important for production of breeding lines and breeding hybrids. The inequality and the instability of breeding lines present a problem for breeders, es- pecially when the registration of the new cultivar is concerned. Consequently, breeders are interested in in vitro techniques that allow production of dou- bled haploid plants (DH) in a relatively short period of time. The value of triticale DH production in breeding programmes depends significantly on the efficiency of the method used with regard to green plant regeneration. DH plants of triticale can be ob- tained through androgenesis (anther and micro- spore culture) (Immonen and Robinson 2000, Oleszczuk et al. 2004), or through wide crossing with maize. The first results of DH production in triticale were published by Wang et al. in 1973. Al- though the practical application of DH regenerants of triticale has been demonstrated (Bernard et al. 1996) the available data on homozygous plant pro- duction by androgenesis are constantly limited compared with other cereals. Triticale anther cul- ture appeared to be relatively recalcitrant because of the poor induction of androgenesis and difficul- ties in green plant regeneration (Karsai et al. 1994, Ryőppy 1997). Amongst many factors which deter- mine plant production, genotype seems to be the most important (Hassawi et al. 1990, Marciniak et al. 1998). The present paper describes the androgenetic re- sponse of several selected male sterilit - main- taining genotypes of triticale. Anther culture was used to produce DH lines, which carry recessive al- leles for the maintenance of male sterility. Such a system can help to reduce the time needed for the 245 ACTA PHYSIOLOGIAE PLANTARUM Vol. 27. No. 2. 2005: 245-250 short communication