Proportional Contribution and Potential of Maternal and Paternal Genotypes for Polyhaploid Induction in Wheat x Imperata cylindrica Chromosome Elimination Approach

The Imperata cylindrica-mediated chromosome elimination approach has been identified as the most efficient system of doubled haploidy breeding in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The present investigation was carried out to assess the mean performance of diverse I. cylindrica genotypes (five) collected from different locations and wheat F(1)s (21) generated out of various elite winter and spring wheat ecotypes. Also, the proportional contribution of wheat F1s and I. cylindrica genotypes was evaluated to find out the relative contribution of maternal and paternal parents to haploid induction. The investigation revealed that the mean response of wheat and I. cylindrica to haploid induction parameters, viz. pseudoseed formation, embryo formation, haploid regeneration and haploid formation varies from wheat and I. cylindrica genotype to genotype. The I. cylindrica genotype, Ic-Aru from north east Himalayas and wheat genotype, DH 114 x KWS 29 exhibited highest mean performance to haploid embryo formation, the stage for which all the three contributors, that is, wheat F1s, I. cylindrica genotypes and wheat x I. cylindrica interaction were found to be similar for their proportional contribution (%) towards haploid induction. Thus, concluding that the haploid induction through preferential chromosome elimination approaches can be enhanced by using more efficient pollinators.