Short Notes on Triploid Production

Triploid Production

Double fertilisation occurs in a majority of individuals except the families: Orchidaceae, Podostemaceae and Trapaceae.

This results in two fusion products: (i) the zygote (through fusion of an egg and one of the male gametes), and (ii) the triploid primary endosperm (fusion of the second male gamete with two polar nuclei).

The zygote gives rise to embryo and the later forms endosperm (also called secondary embryo). The endosperm nurses the developing zygotic embryo.

For the first time Lamp and Mills (1933) grew maize endosperm on nutrient medium 10-20 days after pollination. The endosperm proliferated slightly. In 1949, LaRue succeeded to produce callus from immature endosperm.

From India, B.M. Johri and S.S. Bhojwani (1965) at the University of Delhi reported the endosperm culture.

Some examples of triploid plants raised from endosperm cultures are: Asparagus officinalis, barley (Hordeum vulgare), rice (Oryza sativa), maize (Zea mays), Prunus persica, Pyrus malus, Citrus grandis, sandle plant (Santalum album).

The triploid plants are self-sterile and usually seedless. This characteristic increases edibility of fruits and desirable in plants such as apple, banana, grape, mulberry, mango, watermelon, etc.

These are commercially important edible fruits. The triploids of poplar (Populus tremuloides) have better quality pulpwood. Therefore, it is important to the forest industry.