Abstract
The present studies were undertaken to evaluate the possibility of seed development in culture of cut ear in perennial ryegrass (cv. Colac), Italian ryegrass (cv. Nasuhikari) and orchardgrass (cv. Aonami). Ears harvested before flowering with or without flag leaf were placed in flask with culture solution. Seed production on the ears and germination behaviour of produced seed were investigated. The ears cultured with distilled water lived for a considerable time and produced poor seed. Presence of flag leaf on cut ear and sucrose in concentration of 3% added to culture solution showed an enhancing effect on seed development in the ear culture of the all employed species. Satisfactory seed yield and 100-seed weight were obtained by culture of cut ear with flag leaf in culture solution containing 3% of sucrose. Seed produced under the above-mentioned culture condition exhibited a light requirement for germination at high temperature and response to pre-chilling treatment in germination, showing no significant change in germination behaviour in comparison with seed produced on intact ear under field condition.
