Somatic embryogenic tissue establishment from mature Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. salzmannii embryos

Abstract

Somatic embryogenesis from mature zygotic embryos of salgareno pine (Pinus nigra Arn. ssp. salzmannii) was induced after 2 wk of culture in L1 medium [Murashige and Skoog mineral solution with 10.7 µM naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 8.8 µM 6-benzyladenine (BA)] or L2 medium [Gupta and Durzan mineral solution (DCR)] supplemented with the phytohormone combination as above. Four different combinations of growth regulators, NAA (2.6–10.7 µM) and BA (6.6–8.8 µM), were tried for subsequent passage. The best percentage of embryo induction and manifestation was obtained on DCR medium with 2.6 µM NAA and 6.6–8.8 µM BA. Transfer of isolated somatic embryos from the basal media to L3 medium (Quoirin and Le Poivre modified mineral solution without hormones and supplemented with 0.3% activated charcoal), facilitated random embryo maturation and some development into plantlets.