This paper provides results of somatic embryogenesis study in our laboratory. General description of somatic embryogenesis (SE) induction, maturation of somatic embryos and plantlets regeneration of the Abies species, followed by a comparisons of some characteristics of zygotic and somatic embryos, seedlings and emblings (somatic seedlings). Own results are supplemented with some literature data. Also aplication of SE for improving of plantlet regeneration of elite fir trees from Dobroč primeval is described as well as initiation of the SE from seeds of incompatible crossings of firs where zygotic embryos abort usually several weeks after pollination
Differential inhibition in growth of fungus Phaeolus schweinitzii inoculum was testedwith somatic embryos of two cell lines of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) by the methodof dual cultures with pre-cultivation of somatic embryos andsubsequent removal. It was confirmedthat inhibitory substances from pre-cultivated somatic embryos L27 spreading to agar cultivation medium by simple diffusion cause greater inhibition of tester mycelial growth during subsequent co-cultivation compared to somatic embryos L122. Characteristics of embryogenic cell lines L27 and L122, from which somatic embryos were formed, are provided. Increased levels of peroxidase activity characterized the cell line L27. Natural non-induced constitutive defense of plant somatic embryos establishedby quantitatively measuredrestriction of growth in tester Phaeolus schweinitzii was discussed.
Pollen viability was tested in two hybrid swarm populations of Pinus mugo and P. sylvestris in northern Slovakia and in control populations of the parental species. It was significantly reduced in hybrid populations, as evidenced by average germination percentages ranging from 49.0% and 61.53% and by pollen tube length averaging 74.54-86.47 µm. The corresponding values in the control populations were 78.38-88.5% and 102.92-152.84 µm, respectively. The frequency of microsporogenesis disturbances at the tetrad and mature pollen stages was higher in hybrid swarms than in the control population of P. sylvestris. Based on in vitro germination data, the amount of sterile pollen was estimated at 40-41% in hybrid swarm populations, 12% in P. sylvestris, and 21% in P. mugo.
The paper reports a comparative study of storage protein synthesis and enzyme activity during zygotic and somatic embryogenesis of silver fir. The SDS-PAGE profiles of storage proteins in zygotic and somatic embryos were similar but not identical. Six storage protein fractions were detected in zygotic embryos, as compared with eleven fractions in somatic embryos. The principal storage protein of zygotic embryos was represented by the 43 kDa fraction, and in somatic embryos by the 53 kDa fraction. Peroxidase activity was lower in the precotyledonary and cotyledonary stages of somatic embryos than in the corresponding developmental stages of zygotic embryos. However, following desiccation, the mature somatic embryos possessed three times higher peroxidase activity than the mature zygotic embryos. The reverse was true of the specific activity of esterase, which was higher in zygotic embryos than in somatic embryos in all stages of development.