An Improved Method of Ovule Culture for Producing Interspecific Hybrids in the Genus Lycoris (Amaryllidaceae)

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of embryo rescue in Lycoris, the components of ovule culture medium, such as sucrose, pH and casein hydrolysate (CH), were studied by using selfed ovules of L. sanguinea as a model explant. A modified MS medium (mMS2) containing macro-salts adopted from Monnier's medium containing 3% sucrose at pH 5.8 was found suitable for ovule culture in Lycoris. The addition of 500 mg·liter^-1 CH to mMS2 medium significantly promoted the germination and seedling formation rates and obtaining interspecific hybrids. Consequently, it was utilized in ovule culture for this purpose.