Selection of spontaneous haploid cytoplasmic male sterile tobacco plants using rootless mutants

Homozygous rootless and cytoplasmic male sterile lines of Nicotiana tabacum were used as female parents in crosses with fertile varieties. Androgenetic haploids were selected for their ability to form plantlets with a normal root system, whereas hybrid plantlets failed to grow. These androgenetic haploid plantlets were cytoplasmic male sterile (maternal inheritance of the organelles). Use of this system for direct cytoplasm transfer and screening of spontaneous haploids in other dicotyledons is proposed. (author). 7 refs, 2 figs