Use of Tissue Cultures in Plant Breeding

Since KANTA et al. (1) obtained viable seeds in vitro through pollination of ovules on excised placentae of Papaver somniferum, there has been a wide interest in applying this method for various plant species. This technique eliminating the stigma, style and tissues of ovary from the process of fertilization provides a means of overcoming self -incompatibility (2, 3) and its utilization in combating barriers to crossability has been proposed (4). A limited success has been achieved mainly in some genera of Papaveraceae, Solanaceae and Caryophyllaceae (e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), but most species tested failed to produce viable seeds in vitro (7).