Micropropagation of Woody Plants

Forest tree biotechnology

We have analyzed and described the problems and potentials of using tissue culture in micropropagation and biotechnologies related to forest improvement. Trends in forest management concepts, commerical micropropagation, and tissue culture biotechnologies are discussed. Our analysis suggests that tissue culture will contribute significantly to the improvement of forests through exploitation of existing genotypes and production of new, commercially valuable genotypes. Such changes may significantly influence worldwide management decisions in forestry.

Trends in the use of tissue culture in forest improvement

We report a method for regenerating somatic embryos from protoplasts derived from a cell suspension culture containing proliferating embryonal–suspensor masses (ESMs) of developing loblolly pine seeds. Uniform, highly viable and morphogenic protoplasts from embryonal cells contained a dense neocytoplasm as judged by strong acetocarmine staining. Culture qf protoplasts in a thin layer of agarose in a medium using high levels of myo–inositol contributed to the proliferation of colonies of proembryonal cells with large nuclei, which in turn yielded new ESMs. When protoplast–derived ESMs were placed on agar plates, somatic embryos were recovered within 8 to 10 weeks by somatic polyembryogenesis. After a total of 15 weeks an initial crop of over 100 somatic embryos could be regenerated by a conifer–type developmental plan from an initial population of 105 protoplasts.

Masomeh Behrouz Sticklen

Papers

Shoot regeneration from protoplasts of Ulmus × ‘Pioneer’

Isolation and culture of protoplasts of Ulmus x ‘Homestead’