Intra- and interspecific transmission of androgenetic competence in diploid potato species

Summary In an attempt to determine the transmission of androgenetic competence, 10 families resulting from intra- and interspecific hybrids including three reciprocal hybrids were examined in anther culture. Hybrid families were generated between competent clones of Solanum phureja and incompetent clones of S. phureja, S. microdontum and S. berthaultii. S. phureja clones PP5 and A95 (derived by androgenesis of a 2n microspore of PP5) were found to be consistently competent for androgenesis. Androgenetic competence was observed to segregate in all hybrid families with some highly responsive and some unresponsive genotypes in all families. A total of 9,465 cultured anthers have yielded 936 embryoids and 91 plants, including 29 monoploids. The cytoplasm of species lacking competence appeared to have greater influence on the expression of androgenesis in intraspecific than in interspecific hybrids. Expression of androgenesis varied among half-sib hybrid families indicating that competence for androgenesis was influenced by the parents lacking competence. The anther culture data on a backcross between a highly responsive hybrid and its unresponsive parent indicated that competence may be under control of a single dominant gene.