Production of haploid plants in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) via gynogenesis

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a widely grown creeping vine plant belonging to Cucurbitaceae family. The haploidization technique is modern and improved breeding technique used to enhance economically essential crops including cucumber to meet consumers' preferences and needs worldwide. The aim was to analyse the effects of factors such as genotype, thermal pre-treatments and nutrient media combinations that are considered in haploid production via ovary culture process in four commercial cucumber varieties. A total of seventeen nutrient media and commercial cucumber varieties (three F1 and one open-pollinated cucumber varieties) haploid plant production performed through ovary culture process. Effects of temperatures pre-treatments as well as heat 35°C/3 days and cold 4°C/4 days pre-tretments with eight induction media and nine embryo maturation/regenerations nutrient media were evaluated in two distinct experiments of this study. In experiment one: Results of study demonstrated that embryo-like structures (ELSs) formation rate was high in induction medium 2 (IM2) contained of 2 mg L-1 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.5 mg L-1 and 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) was successful in all varieties Ptk40 (20%), Botanik (20%), Beith Alpha (16%), and Sardes (13.3%) respectively compared to other induction medium combination used in this study. Due to findings of this study, nutrient medium containing KIN and 2,4-D seem to be successful during induction of haploid embryo formation in cucumbers. There was no plant formation occurred in this experiment. Experiment two's results demonstrated that embryo formation rate was high IM8 (2,4-D, PUT) induction media for all varieties [Botanik (88%) Sardes (60%), Ptk40 (32 %) and Beith alpha (20%). The 117-plantlets from Botanik variety, twelve from sardes and two of Ptk40 regenerated within IAA, BAP medium combination. 57 plants were germinated in 0.1 mg L-1 IBA. 19 diploids and 1 tetraploid of them were determined by flow cytometry. Based on findings of study, 2,4-D, PUT in nutrient medium was successful in this experiment. Further studies are required to optimise the embryo regeneration medium composition due to the cucumber growing seasons, genotypes, and mediums.