In-ovulo embryo culture in seedless grapes(Vitis vinifera L.)

Abstract

Seedless table grapes are preferred by consumers, which demands breeding work to develop improved seedless cultivars. Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Perlette, Thompson Seedless and Beauty Seedless are stenospermic in which embryos abort after few days of anthesis (Stout, 1936). Embryos and endosperm breakdown occurs during third to fourth weeks after anthesis. Embryo development in aborting seeds ranged from few cell stage to globular stage (Stout, 1936). In-ovulo embryo culture prior to embryo abortion provide an attractive alternative to conventional breeding methods. In conventional method breeding of seedless grapes, the crossing of seeded cultivars with seedless cultivars resulted in 10–15% seedless progeny (Winberger and Harmon, 1964). Theoratically by crossing seedless cultivars with seedless cultivars result in high percentage of seedless progenies in one breeding cycle. Two distinct methods, viz. culturing in liquid medium (Emershad and Ramming, 1984; Gray et al., 1987) and on solid medium (Cain et al., 1983; Spiegel-Roy et al., 1985) have also been reported. The present report deals with in-ovulo embryo culture of stenospermic Perlette, Thompson Seedless and Beauty Seedless grapes.