title: Chickpea hybridization using in vitro techniques.
abstract: Tissue culture techniques play an important role in the utilization of wild Cicer species for the improvement- of cultivated chickpea. Utilization of wild Cicer species has become essential as a series of evolutionary bottlenecks have narrowed the genetic base of chickpea, thus making it susceptible to a range of diseases and pests. Crosses with wild Cicer can broaden its genetic base and introduce useful traits. Except for two wild species, none of the other Cicer species are cross-compatible. To use a range of Cicer species for the improvement of chickpea, embryo rescue and tissue culture techniques are necessary. The success of the cross with incompatible species depended on a range of techniques including the application of growth regulators to pollinated pistils and saving aborting embryos in vitro. Further, the chances of successful transfer of hybrid shoots to soil are greater if the hybrid shoots are grafted to chickpea stocks.
authors.affiliation: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mallikarjuna
authors.forename: Fred J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Muehlbauer
mesh_terms: D029863:Cicer / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D018548:Cotyledon / Q000254:growth & development; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D011058:Pollen / Q000254:growth & development; D054817:Pollination; D036226:Seedlings / Q000254:growth & development; D012639:Seeds / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media