Interspecific hybrids in Abelmoschus through ovule and embryo culture

Abstract

Through the application of both ovule and embryo culture, it was possible to raise viable hybrids in three out of five interspecific crosses attempted in the genus Abelmoschus. Details of the technique employed and the results obtained are presented in this paper. The culture medium employed consisted of Knop's major salts, Nitsch's minor elements and vitamin mixture, sucrose (2 per cent.) and was supplemented with yeast extract (200 ppm.), kinetin (0–005 ppm.) and indoleacetic acid (2 ppm.). It was gelled with 0.8 per cent agar. After surface sterilisation of ovary, the ovules were either planted direct or the embryos were dissected out and transferred to culture medium in test-tubes. Following their successful germination and reasonable amount of growth in vitro the hybrid seedlings were reared in liquid culture to harden the root system, before final planting in soil.