Summary
Plant embryo development is a complex process that includes several coordinated events. Maize mature embryos consist of a well-differentiated embryonic axis surrounded by a single massive cotyledon called scutellum. Mature embryo axis also includes lateral roots and several developed leaves. In contrast to Arabidopsis, in which the orientation of cell divisions are perfectly established, only the first planes of cell division are predictable in maize embryos. These distinctive characteristics joined to the availability of a large collection of embryo mutants, well-developed molecular biology and tissue culture tools, an established genetics and its economical importance make maize a good model plant for grass embryogenesis. Here, we describe basic concepts and techniques necessary for studying maize embryo development: how to grow maize in greenhouses and basic techniques for in vitro embryo culture, somatic embryogenesis and in situbreak hibridization.
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© 2008 Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
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Fontanet, P., Vicient, C.M. (2008). Maize Embryogenesis. In: Suárez, M.F., Bozhkov, P.V. (eds) Plant Embryogenesis. Methods In Molecular Biology™, vol 427. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-273-1_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-273-1_2
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-931-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-273-1
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