Protein markers for anther culturability in barley

Two-dimensional electrophoresis of proteins from a recombinant population of anther culture-derived doubled haploid lines identified 4 loci or linkage groups showing a deviation from an expected 1∶1 segregation. It was hypothesized that these markers are linked to genes involved in the process of haploid plant production and that the deviation was due to a selection for alleles conferring higher anther culture response. To check this hypothesis, the anther culturability of 50 of the doubled haploid lines and their two inbred parents was assessed. It was found that 2 of the loci which had a distortion of segregation showed a significant effect on anther culture response, the most efficient allele being the most frequent in both loci. In addition, 2 more markers associated with anther culturability were found. One of the first mentioned 2 loci and one of the latter 2 were found to be linked to genes involved in both embryoid production and subsequent green plant regeneration. The remaining two were linked to genes involved only in green plant regeneration. Of the 4 favorable alleles 3 were inherited from one parent.