Role of doubled haploids in vegetable crop improvement

Abstract

A doubled haploid (DH) is a genotype formed when haploid cells undergo chromosome doubling. Artificial production of doubled haploids is important in plant breeding. Homozygous lines are of utmost importance in breeding programmes which are produced by doubled haploids. Doubled haploid techniques provide plant breeders with pure lines in a single generation, which may save considerable time in the breeding of new cultivars. Heterosis is fixed in case of doubled haploids. Many attempts have been made since then, resulting in published protocols for over 250 plant species belonging to almost all families of the plant kingdom. In fact, under optimal conditions, doubled haploids (DH) have been routinely used in breeding for several decades, although their common use is still limited to selected species.