Haploid Plants - Haploid plants can be produced in large numbers by anther and ovary cultures, and from crosses with Hordeum bulbosum in case of barley and wheat. When H. Vulgare or T. aestivum are crossed with Hordeum bulbosum the chromosome complement of H. bulbosum is gradually and selectively eliminated from the developing embryos.

Most of the seedlings obtained from such crosses are haploid, having only one set of chromosomes from H. vulgare or T. aestivum parent. Culture of 8-1 O-day old embryos enables the recovery of a large number of haploid seedlings in both the cases. In case of H. bulbosum x barley crosses, >90% of the plants are haploid. Similarly, in maize x wheat crosses, the maize chromosomes are gradually eliminated and haploid plants of wheat are recovered. The hybrid embryos are rescued by embryo culture.

However, only the anther culture and H. bulbosum (in case of barley and' wheat)' routes have been used in breeding programmes, and the ovary culture or wheat haploids from crosses with maize remain to be exploited practically.