S01 - Session P7 - Characterization of floral bud and anther size with microspore development stage in chili pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Authors: Patcharaporn Suwor *, Thanyarat Jaingulueam, Kanjana Saetiew, Wen ShiTsai, Suchila Techawongstien , Tanyarat Tainta, Sanjeet Kumar, Nakarin Jeeartid, Orawan Chatchawankanphanich, Somsak Kramchote

Anther culture is a tool used in breeding programs. The success of this technique depends on the use of microspores at optimum developmental stages. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to determine the correlation between the days-after-flower formation (DAF), petal:calyx (P:C) ratio, anther length (AL), and microspore developmental stages (MD) in seven chili F 1 hybrids. All parameters were observed at 0 to 10 DAF with three flowers per replication and three replications per hybrid. The study revealed a strong positive correlation between DAF and MD, with almost all hybrids showing that 3 to 5 DAF correlated with the uninucleate stage. Moreover, a strong correlation was observed between P:C ratio and MD, with the P:C ratio at petal 10-25 : calyx 75-95 showing microspore being at the uninucleate stage. However, we found overlapping stages of the microspores in each stage and different cultivars showed differences in AL, thus for chili pepper it is possible to predict microspore development using DAF and P:C ratio.