Chromosome doubling of haploid maize seedlings using nitrous oxide gas at the flower primordial stage

Abstract In maize, inbred lines are used for the production of hybrid varieties. Corn breeders and researchers have considered using haploids to develop inbred lines; however, this procedure has not been practically applied because of the inefficiency of chromosome doubling of maize haploid seedlings. In this report, a procedure has been developed to overcome this difficulty. Maize haploid seedlings obtained from eight different genotypes were treated with nitrous oxide gas (2 days at 600 kPa). Treatment at the six‐leaf stage (flower primordia formation stage) significantly increased the occurrence of fertile sectors on both tassels and ears so that approximately half (44%) of the treated haploids produced kernels after self‐pollination. In the control, only 11% of haploids produced selfed kernels owing to spontaneous chromosome doubling. A strong genotypic effect on the occurrence of fertile sectors after the treatment was observed. This procedure can be used for inbred line development in maize breeding programmes.