Abstract: Androgenesis and embryogenesis were observed in isolated microspore culture of Capsicum annuum L. Different fruit type of sweet and hot pepper were used as experimental material. The results indicated that after pretreatment and isolation the microspores expanded in volume were able to develop while the shrivelled ones were dead and that the first sporophytic division was symmetric or asymmetric. It was also observed that the dedifferentiated microspores have two developmental pathways: embryogenesis and organogenesis and the two pathways could change each other in developmental process. Embryogenesis course of microspores was similar to that occurred in zygotic embryogenesis. Suspensor- like structure was observed before and during heart embryo stage. Matured embryoid could germinate but the root tip growth more easily than shoot tip. Embryogenesis of microspores was strong asynchrony and there were many abnormality occurred in every stage of entirely process; when a divisional microspore was breakthrough the cell wall in early stage, it changed to thin-walled cell and then divided to form callus. It was showed that some of microspore-derived callus differentiated secondary embryoids but not adventitious buds although adventitious root differentiation was easily occurred from the callus. Androgenesis and embryogenesis of isolated microspores were similar in different type of Capsicum annuum L.

Key words: Capsicum annuum, isolated microspores, androgenesis, embryogenesis, cytological observation