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Improved Norway spruce somatic embryo development through the use of abscisic acid combined with activated carbon

  • Cell Biology and Morphogenesis
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Abstract

The combination of abscisic acid (ABA) and activated carbon increased Norway spruce (Picea abies L., Karst.) cotyledonary somatic embryo yields, increased the number of genotypes forming cotyledonary embryos, caused embryos to form that exhibited improved maturation characteristics, and reduced embryo production costs. Somatic embryos increased in size, showed larger apical regions, became more zygotic-like in shape, and showed higher percentages of epicotyl development upon germination. Analyses of medium for free ABA in the presence of activated charcoal showed a rapid decrease within a few hours followed by a gradual decline over the next few days with little change from 2 to 6 weeks. Gelling agents strongly affected ABA adsorption, with agar decreasing the adsorption of ABA compared to gellan gum (Gelrite, Phytagel). Over 4,000 somatic seedlings from 20 clones were produced and established in a greenhouse using the methods discussed, and approximately 1,250 seedlings representing seven clones were established in a field setting.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

Abscisic acid

AC:

Activated carbon

BA:

6-Benzylaminopurine

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

ESM:

Embryo suspensor mass

NAA:

α-Naphthalene acetic acid

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the help of Hoang Phan, Doris Budworth, and Carol Schofield in carrying out media development experiments, Keith Gehr for assistance in the manuscript preparation, Mayumi Ikeda for ABA-AC analyses, and Karen Messer, Pat Carlton, Paul Forsberg, and Edith Morrow for assistance in somatic embryo germination

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Author notes

  1. G. S. Pullman

    Present address: Institute of Paper Science and Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 500 10th Street NW, Atlanta, GA, 30332-0620, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Weyerhaeuser Company, Tacoma, WA, 98477, USA

    G. S. Pullman, P. K. Gupta, R. Timmis, C. Carpenter, M. Kreitinger & E. Welty

Authors
  1. G. S. Pullman
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  2. P. K. Gupta
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  3. R. Timmis
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  4. C. Carpenter
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  5. M. Kreitinger
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  6. E. Welty
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. S. Pullman.

Additional information

Communicated by P. Debergh

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Pullman, G.S., Gupta, P.K., Timmis, R. et al. Improved Norway spruce somatic embryo development through the use of abscisic acid combined with activated carbon. Plant Cell Rep 24, 271–279 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-005-0933-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-005-0933-0

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