Production of gynogenic haploids of Hordeum vulgare L.

Haploid plants were regenerated from cultured unfertilized ovaries of Hordeum vulgare L. (barley). Optimal response was obtained by the addition of 0.6 μM 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MCPA), 2.8 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4.4 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) in the N6 medium. Further increase in the rate of callus formation and the number of green plants produced was possible with the addition of 90 g/l sucrose and 100 g/l coconut water. The stage of development of the ovaries at the time of culture was critical; the largest number of plants being produced by ovaries from flowers at the trinucleate stage of pollen.