Title: Somatic embryos can be induced from the vegetative shoot apex of mature Pinus patula trees
Abstract: Embryogenic cultures were initiated and established and somatic embryos produced in Pinus patula using thin sections from the dome of the vegetative shoot apex. Factors affecting initiation, basal medium and plant growth regulators were investigated. We report for the first time the initiation of embryogenic tissue and embryos from shoot apical domes (zones) of 15-year-old Pinus patula trees. The growth of embryogenic lines were comparable to those obtained from zygotic embryos. Plantlets were regenerated.