Effect of sowing dates of donor plants and concentration of 2,4-D on the purity of productive anther formation of common barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in anther culture in vitro.

Creating dihaploid lines of agricultural plants is a labour-intensive but essential step in variety production in modern plant breeding. This stage allows significantly accelerate the process of creating new varieties of common barley and other crops. Barley digaploids are produced mainly by anther culture and microspore culture. The authors preferred anther culture in vitro. In the present study, the influence of climatic factors in the cultivation of donor plants on the yield of productive anthers at different sowing dates was established. The authors also identified the more stable culti- vars with a high anther production regardless of sowing date (Signal, Laureate and Eifel). Varieties showed the highest number of embryo-like structures formation at the first and third sowing dates (Zu Suren, Zu Zaza); and sorts with a high rate of productive anther formation at the second sowing date (Acha, Exploer) were identified. Different concentrations of 2,4-D in N6 medium on the frequency of embryogenesis and yield of productive anthers were studied. As a result of this study, the authors found that different concentrations of 2,4-D (1 mg/l and two mg/l) had no significant effect on the for- mation frequency of productive anthers in all the varieties studied. When the embryogenesis capacity of the cultivars was reviewed, all the samples were found to be positive in anther culture. However, the array Zu Suren had a significantly lower effective anthers yield than the samples Signal and Acha. As a result of correlation analysis, the authors found a close relationship between the length of the ear tube of donor plants and the frequency of formation of productive anthers (r = -0.69). A close relationship with the development of optimal microspore phase for the induction of androgenesis in anthers extracted from the ear tube with an average length of 6 cm was determined. This information can significantly speed up the selection of donor plants, but it is recommended to confirm the stage of microspore development microscopically for each new cultivar used.