Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in elite genotypes of Picea koraiensis

Picea koraiensis, called Korean spruce, is an evergreen tree and found mostly in northeast Asia. In this study, plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis from open-pollinated immature zygotic embryos of nine genotypes of elite trees was established. Immature zygotic embryos were cultured onto RJW medium modified from 505 medium with 21.48 mu M NAA, 2.22 mu M BA, and 2.32 mu M KT. The average frequency for all nine genotypes was 74.2%. Embryogenic calluses of the nine genotypes of elite trees were subcultured on RJW basal medium containing 8.06 mu M NAA, 1.11 mu M BA, and 1.16 mu M kinetin. The calluses of three lines, 3#, 9#, and 2#s, were actively proliferated but others were not. Somatic embryogenesis was induced from the embryogenic callus in genotypes of 3#s 9#, and 2# on RJW medium with ABA and 60 g l-1 sucrose. Cotyledonary somatic embryos were subjected to a drying process. The drying of embryos by uncapping the culture bottle for 5 days on a clean bench resulted in a high frequency of germination of somatic embryos (87% in RJW medium). However, plantlet conversion from germinated embryos was greatly reduced and the optimal medium for plant conversion was 1/2 WPM or 1/2 BMI medium. In conclusion, we have, for the first time, established a plant regeneration system via somatic embryogenesis in the Korean spruce, which can be applied for rapid micropropagation of elite trees.