Failure to establish a functional shoot meristem may be a cause of conversion failure in somatic embryos of Daucus carota (Apiaceae)

A carrot cell culture line was shown to be highly embryogenic, but plantlet recovery (conversion) was low (about 14%). The majority of somatic embryos that did not convert showed pronounced vacuolation in the apical notch, leading to their inability to form primary leaves and thereby convert. Comparisons of developing meristems in the shoot apical notch of converting somatic and zygotic embryos revealed similarities in cytoplasmic density and meristem organization between the two populations. Abscisic acid (ABA) was shown to significantly increase conversion in somatic embryos of globular, torpedo, and preplantlet stages (62%, 62.5% and 40%, respectively). Somatic embryos that were treated with 50 μM ABA showed retention of the highly cytoplasmic cells in the apical notch. Histological analysis showed a resemblance between shoot apices of converting somatic embryos and ABA-treated somatic embryos. ABA may be an induction agent for meristematic organization, or perhaps may cause cells of the apical notch to extend competence for determination as meristematic cells.