Abstract: The invention is a method for reproducing coniferous trees by somatic embryogenesis using plant tissue culture techniques. It comprises a multistage culturing process. A suitable explant, typically the fertilized embryo excised from a mature or immature seed, is first cultured on a medium that induces multiple early stage proembryos. Preferably these proembryos are further multiplied in a second culture having reduced growth hormones. The early stage proembryos may then be placed in or on a late stage proembryo development culture which may have a significantly higher osmotic potential than the previous stage or stages to develop very robust late stage proembryos having at least about 100 cells and multiple suspensor cells. Culturing from this point continues in an embryo development medium very low in or lacking cytokinins and auxins but containing a relatively high concentration of exogenous abscisic acid and an adsorbent material, such as activated charcoal.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for reproducing coniferous trees by somatic embryogenesis using plant tissue culture techniques. The method comprises a multistage culturing process. A suitable explant, typically the fertilized embryo excised from a mature or immature seed, is first cultured on a medium that induces multiple early stage proembryos. Preferably the proembryos from the indication stage are further multiplied in a second culture having reduced growth hormones. The early stage proembryos are then placed in or on a late stage proembryo development culture having a significantly higher osmotic potential than the previous stage or stages. This increased osmotic potential medium is a critical key to the development of very robust late stage proembryos having at least about 100 cells and multiple suspensor cells. Culturing from this point coninues in an embryo development medium very low in or lacking growth hormones but containing abscisic acid.