Culture of Unfertilized Embryo Sacs of Pearl Millet- Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.

The morphology and structure of isolated unfertilized embryo sacs of pearl millet, Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br. is similar to those in situ. In all cultivars a minimum of five intact embryo sacs could be isolated from 30 ovaries per hr. Isolated embryo sacs (30-50%) were viable for four days on MS medium. An increase in the number of polar nuclei was osberved in 15 % of the embryo sacs cultured for two- four days on MS + 3.0 mg/l BAP. These results hold promise in generating gynogenetic haploids from some pearl millet cultivars