Biochemical selection of immature, haploid embryos of Zea mays L.

A method was devised for the biochemical selection of immature, haploid Zea mays embryos using Adh1 (-) and either the Stock 6 or indeterminate gametophyte (ig in W23) high haploid-inducing systems. Haploid (Adh1 (-)) embryos survived exposure to levels of allyl alcohol which killed diploid (Adh1 (+)/Adh1 (-)) embryos. Of the total surviving embryos which were examined cytologically 15% (using ig) and 22% (using Stock 6) were haploid. In two experiments with Stock 6, 100% of the surviving embryos were haploid. To obtain maximum effectiveness of Stock 6 and ig, Adh1 (-) was transferred to stock 6 and W23 backgrounds. Immature, haploid embryos are being used to develop haploid, morphogenic tissue cultures of Zea mays.