FP6 priority

1.1.6   Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems

1.6.3

Title of the proposal

Large-scale propagation of trees using biotechnological methods

Institute

Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology
Akademicka 2, 950 07 Nitra, Slovak Republic

Contact

Research subject for a potential FP6 project

Somatic embryogenesis is an effective plant propagation method available also for tree species.It offers several advantages compared with conventional methods.Somatic embryogenesis is in vitro formation of embryos or embryo-like structures from vegetative cells or tissues of plants without fusion of gametes. The first step of the whole process is initiation of embryogenic cultures from initial plant material. The embryogenic cultures are characterised by the presence of somatic embryos and under appropriate conditions these structures are capable of development. Their development is terminated by plantlet regeneration and as a results small plants are produced.The plants can be transferred to soil to grow further.
Somatic embryogenesis provides plant multiplication in large quantity, long-term storage of plant material by regular transfers or cryopreservation is also possible. Somatic embryogenesis has a potential to play an important role in plant breeding and plant propagation. In addition to its importance for mass propagation of plants, somatic embryogenesis serves as a very good model for the study of embryo and plant development.
The use of method is often limited by low quality embryos with week germination capacity and lowered adaptation ability of regenerated plantlets in soil. The problems connected with the mentioned phenomena are to be solved before using the method for practical purposes. It includes an extensive study of the whole process starting with initiation, maturation, plantlet regeneration as well as transfer to soil

Recent international cooperation of the research team

Austrian Research Centres, Seibersdorf, Austria. Universidad de Oviedo,Facultad de Biologia, Oviedo, Spain.
Universite catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Institut fur Forstpflanzenuchtung, Waldsieversdorf, Germany

Proposer´s relevant publications related to the research subject

Salajova, T., Salaj, J.: Somatic embryogenesis in European black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) Biologia Plantarum 34: 213-218, 1992.
Salajova, T., Jasik, J., Kormutak, A., Salaj, J., Hakman, I.: Embryogenic tissue initiation and somatic embryo development in hybrid firs (Abies alba x Abies cephalonica, and Abies alba x Abies numidica) Plant Cell Reports 15: 527-530, 1996.
Salajova, T., Salaj, J.: Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration from cotyledon explants isolated from emblings and seedlings of hybrid firs. J.Plant Physiol. 158:747-755, 2001.
Baluska, F., Jasik, J., Edelmann, H.G., Salajova, T., Volkmann, D.: Latrunculin B-induced plant dwarfism:Plant cell elongation is F-actin dependent. Developmental Biology 231: 113-124, 2001.