Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi-ll0007, India In vitro Induction of Androgenesis, Callus Formation and Organogenesis in Iberis amara Linn. Anthers SHASHI B. BABBAR, ARADHANA MITTAL (NEE VISHNOI) and SHRISH C. GUPTA With 2 figures Received May 27, 1980 . Accepted August 12, 1980 Summary Iberis amara anthers, cultured on MS medium (MURASHIGE and SKOOG, 1962), supple- mented with BAP (10- 6 M) and 2,4-D (2 ppm), produced calli after 10 days of culture. Cyto- logical studies of the cultured anthers revealed that calli originated from microspores. The calli consisted of haploid (n = 7) cells as well as those of higher ploidy. Numerous roots differentiated from the calli after sub-culturing on a medium lacking hormones. Key words: Androgenesis, callus, haploid, Iberis amara. Introduction Androgenesis, by anther culture technique, has been induced in a number of species belonging to diversified phylogenetic groups (see SUNDERLAND and DUNWELL, 1977; MURASHIGE, 1978; GUPTA and BABBAR, 1980). Thus, totipotency of pollen is now well established. However, incessant efforts are being made in various laboratories to extend the technique to other taxa, with an aim to raise haploid plants which can be further utilized in mutation research and plant breeding programmes. Present investigation was undertaken to raise pollen plants of lberis amara, an ornamental herb belonging to the family Brassicaceae. Although, we succeeded in inducing androgenesis in in vitro cultured anthers of lberis amara and raising the callus of pollen origin, yet, only rhizogenesis could be induced in it. In the past, the anther culture technique has yielded positive results in a few species of Brassica (KAMEYA and HINATA, 1970; KELLER et aI., 1975; THOMAS and WENZEL, 1975) and Arabidopsis (GRESSHOFF and Doy, 1972; AMOS and SCHOLL, 1978), both belonging to the family Brassicaceae. This communication adds another genus to the relatively small number of responsive genera of this family. Material and Methods Buds (1 mm long) with anthers containing uni-nucleate pollen (Fig. lA) were collected from the garden grown plants of Iberis amara LINN. The buds were surface sterilized by Z. PJlanzenphysiol. Bd. 100. S. 409-414. 1980.