Somatic Embryogenesis and Organogenesis of Embryonic Explants of Abies Alba and Acer Pseudoplatanus

Abstract

With Abies alba somatic embryos were induced from the hypocotyl of excised veil developed zygotic embryos. Extended growth of embryogenic cells was observed on auxin-free medium with 2.2 μM/1 BAP ± 2.3 μM/1 kinetin. Transplants from several of these cultures developed continuously numerous embryos with green cotyledons, but root development was generally disturbed. Direct organogenesis was observed on the same media. Wreaths of buds formed around the hypocotyls right beneath the base of the cotyledons. Little bud formation occurred on medium containing auxin.

Acer pseudoplatanus does not express the same vegetative regeneration capacity in vitro as in vivo. Nevertheless buds formed from the hypocotyl part of segmented zygotic embryos when grown on induction medium supplemented with 0.01 or 0.05 μM thidiazuron. Nearly 40% of cultures produced shoots up to 20 mm in length. Bud production and shoot growth continued on the original expiants or larger pieces of organogenetic callus, when transferred on the respective medium at monthly intervals.