Abstract: This invention provides a process for producing germplasm of plant species exhibiting enhanced response to anther culture. The anther culture procedure itself is used as a selection criterion for genes favoring in vitro androgenesis. After subjecting anthers to standard anther culture regeneration procedures, the regenerated plants are intermated and self-pollinated to generate valuable genetic variability for improved culture response. The transfer of increased anther culturability to other selected germplasm is also possible.

Abstract: Seeds of Glycine max, Glycine soja and hybrids thereof are produced by propagating embryogenic tissue containing multiple immature somatic embryos directly or serially by culturing particular cotyledonary tissue or derivation product thereof on media containing auxin selected from the group consisting of chloro-substituted phenoxyacetic acid, methyl derivative thereof, dicamba or picloram, incubating individual immature somatic embryos or embryogenic tissue containing such in a maturation stage to produce mature somatic embryos, germinating the mature somatic embryos to cause shoot tip formation, cultivating the germinated embryos to provide plantlets with 2 to 5 nodes and roots, cultivating the plantlets to provide whole fertile plants which flower and bear seeds, and recovering the seeds. Culturing to provide immature somatic embryos is carried out utilizing auxin in a concentration within the range of 2.5 to 1000 ppm effective to foster normal development of immature somatic embryos.