Increased haploid production in Saintpaulia ionantha by anther culture

Anthers of Saintpaulia ionantha containing late-uninucleate stage pollen produced callus from the anther interior after 3–4 weeks culture on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1 mg l^?1 naphthylene acetic acid (NAA) and 0.5 mg l^?1 1,6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Shoot regeneration occurred rapidly and up to 200 shoots could be recovered from callus derived from a single anther within 10 weeks. Examination of roottip mitoses from transplanted, established plants demonstrated that, with few exceptions, the plants were haploid, thus indicating that the callus was pollen derived. Exposure of buds to low temperature prior to anther excision was inhibitory to callus production. Shoot regeneration was studied by scanning-electron microscopy.