Production of dihaploids in durum wheat using Imperata cylindrica L. mediated chromosome elimination

The possibility of obtaining dihaploid durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) plants by interspecific hybridization with Imperata cylindrica L. was studied. Ten local varieties and 1 commercial durum wheat variety (Triticum durum L., 2n = 4x = 28; AABB) were used as maternal lines. Imperata cylindrica L. (2n = 2x = 20) ecotypes sampled from different districts of Hatay were used as the pollen source. Isolated embryos were placed in an MS medium for plant regeneration 14 days after the interspecific hybridization. The highest average seed setting, embryo formation, and dihaploid plant regeneration for the different hybrid combinations were determined as 31.1%, 15.5%, and 11.5%, respectively. Cytological observations revealed that all the regenerants had 2n = 2x = 14 chromosomes.