POTENTIAL OF IN VITRO ANTHER CULTURE TECHNIQUE FOR ASPARAGUS BREEDING IN ITALY

In the framework of the Italian asparagus breeding program during the period 1976–86, efforts were applied to in vitro anther culture technique.
Out of 208.182 cultured anthers 1109 doubled haploid male and female clones were obtained.
Following three years of field evaluation for morphological traits, fertility and deseas tolerance, 32 female clones and 49 male ones were selected.

Starting from 1981 two kinds of all-male hybrids were obtained each year: "two way hybrids" when both the parental clones were doubled haploid and "three way hybrids" when the female parental clone was heterozygous and the male one was a doubled haploid.
Out of 216 all-male hybrids so far tested, 4 "two way hybrids" and 7 "three way hybrids" were identified both for high yield and excellent spear quality.
The peculiar characteristics and the high uniformity of these hybrids, will offer the possibility to establish asparagus fields suited either to fresh market, or processing.
Moreover the selection of genotypes with a low crown widening rate will allow high plant density and open new perspectives for mechanical harvesting of the crop.

VII International Asparagus Symposium

A. Falavigna, P.E. Casali, M.G. Tacconi

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.271.3