Low temperature storage of suspension culture-derived grapevine somatic embryos and regeneration of plants

Summary A method of clonal germplams preservation utilizing dehydrated somatic embryos and cool temperature storage conditions was demonstrated. Somatic embryos of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L) Autumn Seedless and Chardonnay were produced from suspension cultures. After washing twice with sterile water mature somatic embryos were blot-dried and placed on sterile filter paper in an open Petri dish in a laminar flow hood until they reached about 25% of their initial weight. Approximately 300 dried embryos were placed in each sterile 90×15 mm Petri dish, which was tightly sealed with two layers of Parafilm^TM. Sealed dishes were stored in the dark at 4°C in a standard refrigerator. Samples of 25–60 individual dehydrated somatic embryos were periodically tested for viability by placing them on solidified MS medium for germination and plant regeneration. After 42 mo. of dehydrated storage, 90% of the somatic embryos regenerated into plants. To further test utility, of this storage method dehydrated embryos stored for 12 and 26 mo. were shipped from Florida to Washington where 75 and 87.5% regenerated into plants, respectively. Cool temperature storage of dehydrated somatic embryos is a simple and inexpensive method of clonal, germplasm preservation when compared to alternatives such as cryopreservation.