In vitro breeding of high-linolenic, doubled-haploid lines of linseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) via androgenesis

In the course of a breeding programme for high-linolenic-acid linseed (oilflax, Linum usitatissimum L.) doubled-haploid lines (DH-lines) of three F₁ hybrids were generated using an anther-culture technique. A total of 82 DH-lines were generated and multiplied in 1993, of which 39 were suitable for testing in a repeated field trial in 1994. Yield, fat content and fatty-acid composition were determined. The yield of the DH-lines was not significantly different from that of respective mid-parent values. Fatty-acid composition and fat content showed remarkable variation, and DH-lines exceeded cross parents in some cases for both fat content and linolenic-acid proportion. Superior DH-lines surpassed mid-parent linolenic-acid-content values by 4.5% and fat content by 1.9%. The results indicate that anther culture is a useful tool in linseed breeding.