Somatic embryogenesis and cryostorage for conservation and restoration of threatened forest trees

S.A. Merkle; A.R. Tull; H.J. Gladfelter; P.M. Montello; J.E. Mitchell; C. Ahn; R.D. McNeill

Treesearch

Somatic embryogenesis and cryostorage for conservation and restoration of threatened forest trees

Informally Refereed

Authors:

S.A. Merkle, A.R. Tull, H.J. Gladfelter, P.M. Montello, J.E. Mitchell, C. Ahn, R.D. McNeill

Year:

2017

Type:

General Technical Report

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Source:

In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Man, Gary; Hipkins, Valerie; Woeste, Keith; Gwaze, David; Kliejunas, John T.; McTeague, Brianna A., tech. cords. 2017. Gene conservation of tree species—banking on the future. Proceedings of a workshop. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-963. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 113-116.

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Abstract

Threats to North American forest trees from exotic pests and pathogens or habitat loss, make it imperative that every available tool be employed for conservation and restoration of these at risk species. One such tool, in vitro propagation, could greatly enhance conservation of forest tree genetic material and selection and breeding of resistant or tolerant genotypes for restoration. In vitro propagation approaches include standard micropropagation (axillary shoot multiplication), organogenesis (adventitious shoot production) and somatic embryogenesis (SE), a process by which structures (somatic embryos) resembling seed embryos are produced asexually. The SE systems, in particular, are well-suited for conservation and restoration purposes, due to the high multiplication rates and the amenability of embryogenic cultures to cryostorage. Examples of threatened forest species for which we have developed SE systems that are already being applied for conservation and restoration efforts include American chestnut (Castanea dentata), eastern and Carolina hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis and T. caroliniana), Atlantic white cedar (AWC, Chamaecyparis thyoides), and green and white ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica and F. americana). We have also developed an adventitious shoot-based propagation system for Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha), which has been extinct in nature for over 200 years.

Parent Publication

Gene conservation of tree species—banking on the future. Proceedings of a workshop.

Citation

Merkle, S.A.; Tull, A.R.; Gladfelter, H.J.; Montello, P.M.; Mitchell, J.E.; Ahn, C.; McNeill, R.D. 2017. Somatic embryogenesis and cryostorage for conservation and restoration of threatened forest trees. In: Sniezko, Richard A.; Man, Gary; Hipkins, Valerie; Woeste, Keith; Gwaze, David; Kliejunas, John T.; McTeague, Brianna A., tech. cords. 2017. Gene conservation of tree species—banking on the future. Proceedings of a workshop. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-963. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 113-116.