In vitro Haploid Production in Higher Plants

This fifth and final volume on In Vitro Haploid Production in Higher Plants comprises 13 chapters and is divided into three sections. Most chapters are crop specific and each chapter contains an introduction about the selected plant, the techniques (anther culture, microspore culture, ovary/ovule culture) that have been successfully used for haploid production, the factors that have influenced the success of these techniques, the identification and genetic characterization of haploid regenerants, the application of haploids in breeding, and a brief conclusion on the potential of haploid breeding in the specific crop. The chapters contained in Section 1 focus on selected oil crops, including linseed (Linum usitatissimum), sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and niger (Guizotia abyssinica). Section 2 deals with ornamental plants including (Petunia, lily (Lilium spp.), tulip (Tulipa spp.), and Camellia japonica). The final Section 3 comprises miscellaneous plants including various fruit, vegetable, or specialty crops (asparagus (Asparagus officinalis), tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), cotton (Gossypium spp.), gynogenic haploids in angiosperms, Citrus, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), and interspecific somatic hybrids of potato (Solanum brevidens and S. tuberosum)). Some chapters also include a discussion of the potential of protoplast manipulations and genetic transformation of the particular crop under discussion.