Ultrastructure of androgenic microspores of barley during the early stages of anther culture

Abstract

Cultured barley anthers fixed every 2 days over the first 8 days of culture were examined by transmission electron microscopy. During this period, a small percentage of the microspore population developed into multicellular units. Marked changes in subcellular organization preceded and accompanied the formation of these multicellular structures. Events observed included nuclear fusion, increases in the number of mitochondria and dictyosomes, lipid storage, as well as elaboration of the pollen grain intine. Starch, first observed at day 6 in culture, increased progressively thereafter. Some of the ultrastructural observations correlated with ploidy increases in microspores reported previously.Key words: anther culture, barley, ultrastructure, microspores, androgenesis.