REGULATION OF SOMATIC EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT IN NORWAY SPRUCE (PICEA-ABIES)

Somatic embryos can be used for vegetative propagation of genetically superior material. Additionally, the system offers unique opportunitie s to study embryology. Somatic embryogenesis has been induced in many coniferous species and the process is similar between species. A commo n problem is, however, that not all embryogenic cell lines contain emb ryos that can mature. We are using Norway spruce (Picea abies) as a mo del system to study how the development of the conifer somatic embryo is regulated. Different cell lines contain embryos that have reached a specific developmental stage, which is reflected in the pattern of ex tracellular proteins and arabinogalactan proteins present. The embryo morphology is partially regulated by proteins. Proteins identified as having a putative regulatory effect on embryo development include chit inases, peroxidases, zeamatin-like proteins and arabinogalactan protei ns.