Distinguish between anther culture and microspore culture. Which technique is more advantageous? Give reasons.

Anther Culture vs. Microspore Culture: A Detailed Comparison

Both anther and microspore cultures are androgenetic techniques used to produce haploid plants from the male gametophyte. However, they differ in the initial explant and the pathway of development.

Anther Culture

Anther culture involves the excision and *in vitro* culture of anthers – the pollen-producing part of the stamen. The anther contains multiple microspores at different stages of development. The process relies on the induction of microspore embryogenesis within the anther itself. Successful anther culture depends on precise timing, as the microspores must be at a specific developmental stage (mid-to-late uninucleate stage) to respond to the culture medium.

Microspore Culture

Microspore culture, on the other hand, involves the isolation of individual microspores from anthers, typically through anther wall rupture or filtration, and their subsequent culture on a nutrient medium. This allows for a more controlled environment and selection of microspores at a specific developmental stage. Microspore culture directly induces embryogenesis from isolated microspores.

Comparative Table

Feature	Anther Culture	Microspore Culture
Explant	Intact Anther	Isolated Microspores
Developmental Stage Control	Less Precise	More Precise
Callus Formation	More Common	Less Common; Direct Embryogenesis favored
Contamination Risk	Lower	Higher
Species Applicability	Wider range	More restricted

Which Technique is More Advantageous?

Microspore culture is generally considered more advantageous than anther culture, despite its higher technical demands. This is primarily due to the following reasons:

• Higher Embryogenesis Frequency: Direct induction of embryogenesis from isolated microspores leads to a higher frequency of haploid plant regeneration compared to anther culture, where callus formation can be a competing pathway.
• Genotypic Control: Microspore culture allows for the selection of microspores from specific plants, enabling targeted haploid production for breeding purposes.
• Reduced Somaclonal Variation: Direct embryogenesis minimizes the risk of somaclonal variation (genetic changes arising during tissue culture) compared to the callus-mediated pathway often observed in anther culture.
• Faster Regeneration: The absence of a callus phase in microspore culture often results in faster plant regeneration.

However, microspore culture is technically more challenging, requiring precise isolation techniques and optimized media for each species. Anther culture remains valuable for species where microspore culture is difficult to establish, or when large-scale haploid production is required with less stringent control.