Uniformity of Plants Regenerated by Direct Somatic Embryogenesis from Zygotic Embryos of Trifolium repens

A total of 55 regenerants from direct somatic embryogenesison three zygotic embryos of Trifolium repens have been examinedfor uniformity with respect to morphological markers, chromosomenumber, breeding behaviour and banding patterns produced bySDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of total leaf proteinsand isoelectric focussing of leaf peroxidase, esterase and leucineaminopeptidase isozymes. Differences were observed between clones,but no differences were detected among primary and secondaryregenerants from the same zygotic embryo. The data support theconcept that direct somatic embryogenesis on immature zygoticembryos is a conservative, clonal regeneration process. Trifolium repens, clover, somatic embryogenesis, somaclonal variation, embryo culture, isozymes