Screening RAPD primers to assess clonal fidelity in somatic embryos of Sawara cypress (<i>Chamaecyparis pisifera</i> Sieb. et Zucc.) and field performance of somatic embryo-derived trees

Abstract

In this study, 100 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers were screened to assess clonal fidelity in somatic embryos of Sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera Sieb. et Zucc.). Of the 100 primers tested, eight were selected based on their amplification products, which showed clear DNA fragmentation, generating 8.75 bands per primer in average. The amplification products showed no genetic variation among the tested somatic embryos. In addition, the performance of somatic embryo-derived trees was monitored in the field, and their mean height growth was measured until the age of 10 years. Although no phenotypic differences were observed, the somatic embryo-derived trees showed lower growth compared with seedlings.

Progress in Somatic Embryogenesis of Japanese Pines

“…Although the SE-derived trees show a normal appearance, it is necessary to examine and monitor their genetic stability using molecular marker technologies. Genetic stability and good growth performance in the field are important criteria in the establishment of a practical protocol for SE (Hosoi et al, 2015).…”

Plant Regeneration and In Vitro Growth Performance of Male-Sterile Somatic Plantlets of Sugi (Japanese Cedar, Cryptomeria japonica) Derived from Different Embryogenic Cell Lines

“…Six months after the plantlet conversion, the growth of 19 somatic lines was evaluated, making it-to the best of our knowledge-the first study to evaluate in vitro growth traits of SE-derived MSPs in sugi. In other conifers, growth traits of somatic plants have been evaluated for comparison with seedlings (seed-derived plants), and some of these studies reported lower growth performance of somatic plants compared with seedlings [21,[35][36][37].…”