Abscisic acid induces somatic embryogenesis and enables the capture of high-value genotypes in Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii [MIRB.] Franco)

Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) is one of Europe’s most important non-native tree species due to its drought tolerance as well as timber quality and yield. To obtain superior seed from selected parental trees, breeding programs had been established in seed orchards. Douglas fir seed is used as source material for somatic embryogenesis with the aim to select elite genotypes invaluable for clonal mass propagation. To improve given protocols for somatic embryo initiation, we used immature Douglas fir zygotic embryos as explants and abscisic acid (ABA) as plant growth regulator in contrast to the application of auxins and cytokinins. With ABA supplementation, induction frequencies were slightly but in mean higher than with auxin/cytokinin, showing also a strong genotype effect. This offered the possibility to capture SE cultures from otherwise recalcitrant crosses. Furthermore, we observed remarkable differences between the two sets of plant growth regulators concerning the morphological development of the explants, including the absence of non-embryogenic callus by using ABA as inducer. This simplifies the detection of events and the handling of the obtained cultures. Nevertheless, a histological approach suggested, that the same competent cells are addressed by the different hormonal stimulation. Besides, we studied the influence of different points in time of cone harvest, two different basal media and different genetic backgrounds of the explants as well as the maturation ability of the induced embryogenic cultures. In sum, we were able to improve the first steps of somatic embryogenesis and to maintain a significantly higher number of high-value genotypes.