A multidisciplinary study was carried out to analyse the chromosome doubling process during the early stages of in vitro maize microspore embryogenesis. The main stages (microspore derivatives) that were formed in the course of the culture were analysed. Chromosome number was determined from squashed cells, and DNA content was measured by cytometry. In parallel, an ultrastructural analysis of the microspore derivatives demonstrated the occurrence of a nuclear fusion process. It seems likely that nuclear fusion ensures chromosome doubling at early stages of induced microspore embryogenesis. It occurs precisely at the 5/7 day stage in the embryonic domain and probably leads to polyploidy in the endosperm domain of the microspore derivatives. As a conclusion a scheme summarises the results and proposes an interpretation of the sequence of chromosome doubling events during early maize microspore embryogenesis. Understanding of this process will be important for future efforts to increase the percentage of homozygous plants for crop improvement.