About Us
Member Directory
Update Member Information
or Register as New Member
2003 Conference
Related WWWs
Announcements
Newsletter
Abstracts
Proceedings
COMBINING SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS AND SELF-STERILITY IN ALFALFA
D. Rosellini1, E. Piccioni2, A. Standardi2 and F. Veronesi1
1Istituto di Miglioramento Genetico Vegetale 2 Dipartimento di Arboricoltura e Protezione delle Piante, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121 Perugia, Italy
Efficient large-scale cloning of selected genotypes and dependable pollination control are necessary before hybrid cultivars can become a reality in alfalfa. The use of synthetic seed and self-sterility has been proposed to achieve these objectives. Relatively self-sterile alfalfa plants capable of efficient somatic embryogenesis have been obtained by crossing a highly embryogenic genotype with four plants selected for self-sterility. Embryogenic capacity segregated in the F1 progenies as if two complementary dominant genes controlled the trait. Average cross-fertility of embryogenic F1 plants was low but some plants with good cross-fertility have been obtained.
Keywords: In vitro culture; Self- and cross-fertility; Somatic embryogenesis; Synthetic seed.