Plantlet Regeneration in Abies cilicica Carr. and Abies cilicica x Abies nordmanniana Hybrid via Somatic Embryogenesis

Authors: BOZENA VOOKOVA, ANDREJ KORMUTAK

Abstract: Somatic embryogenesis was initiated from immature zygotic embryos of Abies cilicica Carr. and its hybrid A. cilicica x A. nordmanniana. Schenk and Hildebrandt medium (SH) supplemented with 5 µM benzylaminopurine was used as the initiation medium. In A. cilicica, the initiation of embryonal suspensor mass (ESM) frequency ranged from 5.4 to 63.5%, and 28.6% of these cell lines formed mature somatic embryos. In A. cilicica x A. nordmanniana, from 3 to 27.6% of zygotic embryos formed ESM, and maturation of somatic embryos was observed in 34.8% lines. For somatic embryo maturation, Murashige, Skoog and SH media supplemented with 4% maltose and 10% polyethylene glycol-4000 were used. For maturation, 80 µM abscisic acid was most effective. After three weeks of partial desiccation, mature embryos germinated on SH medium with 1% sucrose and 1% activated charcoal, and plantlets with cotyledons, hypocotyls and radicles were obtained.

Keywords: Conifers, maturation, germination, plantlet regeneration

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