Improvement of maturation and conversion of horse chestnut androgenic embryos

Abstract

Ćalić-Dragosavac, D., Radojević, Lj.: Improvement of maturation and conversion of horse chestnutandrogenic embryos. Biologica Nyssana, 1 (1-2), December 2010: 49-55.

Horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L., Hippocastanaceae) is a relict species of the tertiary flora andendemit of Balkan peninsula. It has enormous horticultular and medical important. Horse chestnut trees arenative to the Balkan peninsula, but grow as ornamental trees in parks and avenues throughout the NorthernHemisphere. Because of the slow and difficult reproduction of great importance to be fast and cheap in vitromultiplication. Possible solution is regenerated by androgenesis. Microspore culture has been used in recentyears as a tool for producing haploid plants in a varyety of higher plants, but the low frequencies ofmicrospore-derived plants restrict the use of the technique in plant breeding.

Key words: Aesculus hippocastanum, anther culture, maturation, ploidy level, suspension culture