Ovule rescue efficiency of Gossypium hirsutum × G. arboreum progeny from field-grown fruit is affected by media composition and antimicrobial compounds

Upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) is reproductively isolated from G. arboreum L. via post-zygotic breeding barriers. Literature on somatic embryogenesis of cotton suggests a number of media modifications that might also prove useful for ovule rescue of interspecific crosses. Additionally, endogenous microbes are common in field grown cotton and these potential contaminants must be controlled if interspecific progeny are to be obtained via large-scale field crossing followed by ovule or embryo culture. This study compared nine tissue culture media and two antimicrobial overlay treatments in a factorial design. The overlay treatments were: a 2 ml overlay of 250 mg l −1 cefotaxime, 50 mg l −1 tetracycline HCl, 2.5 mg l −1 amphotericin B, and 50 mg l −1 benomyl applied when the ovules were plated, and no overlay. All of the media in the factorial also contained 250 mg l −1 cefotaxime. Crosses were made in a field at Stoneville, MS between the upland cultivar DeltaPine 90 and the G. arboreum accession A 2 -190. Antimicrobial compounds greatly improved the efficiency of obtaining interspecific cotton progenies from field-grown fruit. Germination was not affected by the overlay nor did overlay treatment interact with media. Media significantly affected germination. Of the media studied, the highest frequency of germination was observed for MSB with 1.9 g l −1 additional KNO 3 . The addition of 0.5 g l −1 asparagine and 1 g l −1 glutamine did not affect the number of seedlings obtained. A filter paper growing surface or the addition of 0.5 mg l −1 NAA and 0.05 mg l −1 kinetin were disadvantageous.