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Effects of growth conditions of donor plants and in vitro culture environment in the viability and the embryogenic response of microspores of different eggplant genotypes

Abstract:

Notwithstanding the importance of eggplant in global horticulture, doubled haploid production in this species is still far from being efficient. Although acknowledged to have a role in the efficiency of androgenesis induction, factors such as the growth conditions of donor plant or the in vitro culture environment have not been deeply explored or not explored at all in eggplant, which leaves room for further improvement. In this work, we investigated the effects of different in vivo and in vitro parameters on the androgenic performance of different eggplant genotypes, including two hybrids and a DH line. The in vivo parameters included the exposure of donor plants to different temperature and light conditions and to increased levels of boron. The in vitro parameters included the use of different concentrations of NLN medium components, sucrose and growth regulators, and the suspension of microspores at different densities. Our results showed that whereas greenhouse temperature variations or boron application did not to have a positive influence, greenhouse lighting influenced their viability, thereby conditioning the embryogenic response. Changes in different sucrose, salts and hormone levels had different effects in the genotypes studied, which correlated with their genetic constitution. Finally, we determined the best microspore density, different from that previously proposed. Our work shed light on the role of different factors involved in eggplant microspore cultures, some of them not yet studied, contributing to make microspore culture a more efficient tool in eggplant breeding.