Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2015-09-013
Classification
Introduction
Apomixis refers to the development of seed
without sexual fusion (fertilization).
Apomixis
Greek word
“MIXIS"
"APO" (act of
(away mixing or
from) mingling).
First discovery -Leuwen Hock on 1719 in Citrus
seeds.
The genotype of the embryo and resulting plant
will be the same as the seed parent.
Apomixis in crops
Identification in over 300 species belonging to 30
families.
Most frequently found in families like
Compositae, Rosaceae, Graminae, Asteraceae.
Thus it is not rare but relatively uncommon
Apomixis technology is expected to have a
revolutionary impact on agricultural and food
production
by reducing cost
breeding time
avoiding the complications that are typical of
sexual reproduction (e.g., incompatibility barriers)
Adventive Embryony
E.g. Citrus, Mango
nucellus,
integuments
Embryo and chalaza.
No
development
of embryo
sac.
Apospory
E. g. Malus, Crepis, Poa, etc.
unreduced
emrbyosac
without
vegetative
meiosis
cells of
the ovule
diploid egg
Embryo cell without
fertilization
Diplospory
Megaspore which may be haploid or more generally
diploid.
Diplospory leads to Parthenogenesis or Apogamy.
Parthenogenesis
Development of embryo from the egg cell without
fertilization.
Two types:-
Haploid parthenogenesis
Diploid parthenogenesis
Haploid parthenogenesis occurs in Solanum nigrum.
Diploid parthenogenesis occurs in Taraxacum.
Androgenesis
e.g ., Nicotiana, Datura, Rice etc.,
Pollen grains may be induced invitro to produce
haploid embryos or plantlet; this is called
Androgenesis.
Anthers or pollen grains are cultured on a suitable
tissue culture medium.
This technique offers possiblities for crop
improvement.
Apogamy
Two types:-
Haploid apogamy
Diploid apogamy
Diploid apogamy has been reported in Allium, Iris and many other
species
Reproductive behaviour
Obligate apomictic:- Reproduction in plant by only
Apomixis.
Facultative apomictic:- Sexual reproduction also
occurs in addition to Apomixis.
Many crop species show apomixis, but it is generally
facultative
Applications
Apomixis is used to achieve following objectives:-
Fixation of Heterosis.
Fixation of Heterozygous state.
Rapid Production of Homozygous Lines.
Production of phenotypically stable population called
Vybrids
Disadvantages
Complicated phenomenon
Estimation of apomixis in case of facultative is tedious
and time consuming.
Genetic base of apomixis is not clear in most cases.
The phenomenon of polyembryony was
discovered by
A. Leeuwenhoek in 1719, who found two germlings
developing from the same seed in Citrus