Embryogenic suspension cultures of Pinus nigra Arn.: growth parameters and maturation ability

Abstract

Suspension cultures have been established from embryogenic tissues of Pinus nigra initiated from immature zygotic embryos. The growth of tissues in liquid medium has been influenced by initial tissue weight used for the establishment of the cultures as well as by genotype. In most of the cases initial tissue weight 0.5 g was insufficient and the cultures showed poor growth and later degeneration. Higher amount of initial tissues (1 or 2.5 g) was more efficient for the establishment and proliferation of somatic embryos in liquid medium. The growth of suspension cultures was also cell line dependent. Somatic embryo maturation in liquid medium was very limited and no plantlet regeneration occurred. Cotyledonary somatic embryos developed and produced emblings when the suspension was plated on filter paper discs and cultured on solid maturation medium. Based on our experiments we can state that the embryogenic tissues are able to grow and proliferate in liquid medium but somatic embryo maturation and plantlet regeneration occur only on solid medium.