ВЫЯВЛЕНИЕ КРИТИЧЕСКИХ СТАДИЙ РАННЕГО ОНТОГЕНЕЗА КАК МЕТОДОЛОГИЧЕСКИЙ ПОДХОД В ИЗУЧЕНИИ БИОЛОГИИ РАЗВИТИЯ РАСТЕНИЙ В БИОТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ЦЕЛЯХ

Abstract

The earliest stage of ontogenesis of flowering plants propagating by amphimixis is zygotic embryogenesis. It is well known that zygotic embryogenesis is a single integrated process. At the same time, from the standpoint of the methodology of research on flowering plant embryogenesis it is proposed to distinguish different, although interrelated, stages of this process. Such stages reflect the pulsating nature of the development of the embryo as a dynamic system. The stages differ in duration, morphophysiological parameters, structural and functional characteristics and in general – in importance for the further development of the embryo. A number of authors regard some stages of flowering plant zygotic embryogenesis as critical, while offering various criteria for distinguishing such stages. This brief review examines both the critical stages of plant zygotic embryogenesis proposed in the literature and the criteria for their distinguishing. Issues concerning the cytophysio¬logical features of zygotic plant embryos at the critical stages of early ontogenesis are analyzed. It is suggested that these data can contribute to the further development of a number of biotechnologies based on the use of zygotic plant embryos (embryo culture in vitro, callus culture in vitro).