Investigation on anther culture in Damask rose (Rosa damascene Mill.) and miniature rose (Rosa chinesis)

Rose is known as the queen of flowers. Rosa damask (Rosa damascena Mill.) is utilized as a main source of rose oil and rose water in Iran. Biotechnology methods are considered as a fast and efficient way to produce haploid plants and pure lines. Among the different methods, androgenesis is considered as the most effective procedure, due to its high quantity of microspores in the anthers. In the present study, the effect of medium composition was evaluated on anther culture in two ecotypes of Damask rose, and miniature rose. The results showed that the interaction between H1 medium and mid-uninucleate stage produced the highest callogenesis in Damask rose, Kashan ecotype. Furthermore, the results showed that removing ammonium nitrate and doubling potassium nitrate in the medium produced higher callogenesis. In miniature rose, the medium containing calcium chloride and calcium nitrate produced higher callogenesis. Also, the amino acids improved callogenesis in anther culture of Damask rose, and miniature rose. Moreover, glycine, glutamine and casein hydrolysate were more effective than other studied amino acids. Sucrose was a better sugar compared to sorbitol for callogenesis in the studied genotypes. The chromosome counting and flowcytometery results illustrated that the produced calli were tetraploid (28 chromosomes).