Comparative evaluation of rapid crossing techniques for wheat X maize system of doubled haploid production

Five different emasculation methods viz. standard technique for wheat x maize crosses, early pollinations on non-emasculated spikes, clipped glume facilitated emasculation, plastic bag emasculation and hot water emasculation were compared. Clipped glume facilitated emasculation resulted in lowest caryopses formation frequency. Early pollination on non-emasculated spikes gave reasonably high embryo formation frequency while omitting tedious emasculation steps.