CLASSIFICATION OF EMBRYOGENIC CELL-LINES OF PICEA-ABIES AS REGARDS PROTOPLAST ISOLATION AND CULTURE

Embryogenic cell-lines of Picea abies were divided into two groups based on their growth habit and the morphology of the somatic embryos. Group A grew well on solid medium and the head regions of the somatic embryos were dense, while group B grew well in suspension and the head region of the somatic embryos consisted of loosely packed cells. Protoplasts from all cell-lines could divide and enter the embryogenic pathway. The highest proportion of dividing cells entering the embryogenic pathway was obtained from cell-lines belonging to group A cultured on solid medium. However, only the protoplast derived colonies from cell-lines belonging to group B growing as suspensions continued to grow and gave rise to many somatic embryos. New embryogenic suspension cultures were established from protoplasts of one cell-line belonging to group B. Growth habit and embryo morphology were similar for the re-established suspension and the initial culture.