Development of interspecific F1 hybrids (Solanum melongena × Solanum khasianum) in eggplant through embryo rescue technique

• Published in: Plant cell, tissue and organ culture tissue and organ culture, 2015, Vol.120 (1), p.379-386
• Main Authors: Rattan, Puja, Kumar, Sanjeev, Salgotra, R. K, Samnotra, R. K, Sharma, Falguni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: abiotic stress; Biomedical and Life Sciences; cross pollination; Culture media; eggplants; Embryos; fruit set; Fruits; genes; genotype; Genotypes; Hybrids; indole acetic acid; Inoculation; Interspecific; Kinetin; Life Sciences; organ culture; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plant reproduction; Plant Sciences; Pollination; Regeneration; Research Note; shoots; Solanum aculeatissimum; Solanum khasianum; Solanum melongena; Standardization; wild relatives
• ISSN: 0167-6857; 1573-5044
• DOI: 10.1007/s11240-014-0591-4

The wild relatives of eggplant possess number of unexploited resistant genes against biotic and abiotic stresses. These wild relatives are either not easily crossable and produces sterile F₁when crossed with cultivated genotypes. The present study was executed with the objective of standardization of protocol and obtaining hybrids of Solanum melongena and Solanum khasianum through embryo rescue technique. The cross pollination between indegenous colloections of S. melongena and locally collected S. khasianum was carried out in a reciprocal manner. Out of 25 indegenous genotypes, IC 203585, IC 261767, IC 261797, IC 305129, IC 354611, IC 099736 and IC 261888 showed good fruit setting when S. khasianum was used as male. However, no fruit setting was observed when S. khasianum used as female parent and most of the fruits dropped within 35 days after pollination. The hybrid combinations, viz. IC 203585 × S. khasianum, IC 261767 × S. khasianum, IC 261797 × S. khasianum and IC 305129 × S. khasianum gave the best results when inoculated after 25 days after inoculation. Maximum shoot regeneration was observed to the tune of 80.01 ± 0.108 in IC 261797 × S. khasianum when inoculated on MS media supplemented with 2 mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l IAA. However, the highest root regeneration was observed in IC 203585 × S. khasianum to the extent of 78.45 when inoculated on media MS + 2.5 mg/l kinetin + 1 mg/l IAA.