Embryogenic callus induction and differentiation in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) tissue cultures

The research was conducted on explants of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) deriving from several forest districts in southern Poland. The study encompassed the influence of the origin of plant material, type of explants, kind of substances used for explants sterilization, PPM and the type of medium on the ability to form embryogenic callus and to develop somatic embryos in silver fir explants. From the plant material collected in three sites, 57 clones were obtained from mature zygotic embryos; this produced an embryogenesis frequency of 6%. Embryogenic callus was obtained with a diameter of 65–70 mm depending on the material origin. The best medium for development of callus inducted on embryos isolated from mature silver fir seeds was the SH medium. Somatic embryos were formed in a globular stadium (24 pieces) on this medium. The 10% solution of NaOCl (used for 15 minutes) turned out to be the most effective substance for seed sterilization

Possible use of dual cultures in the forestry practice

The paper provides the review of research on interaction in dual cultures in vitro (fungus and plant tissue culture of its host plant) with marking test results in this area in order to show usefulness of this method in testing pathogenicity and the possibility of its use in forest practice

Growth of two blue-stain fungi associated with Tetropium beetles in the presence of callus cultures of Picea abies

The callus tissue can be used to evaluate the potential ability of microorganisms to cause disease. The blue-stain fungi, Grosmannia piceiperda and Ophiostoma tetropii are important associates of Tetropium spp. in Poland. The opinions about their virulence are controversial. Here, we examined the growth mycelium of the G. piceiperda and O. tetropii in presence of the non-embryogenic cultures of Norway spruce, and accumulation of soluble and unsoluble proteins in this callus. The growth mycelium of one isolate of G. piceiperda was significantly stimulated whilst another isolate of the fungus and both isolates of O. tetropii were unaffected by the presence of the callus. The significant higher (P<0.05) amount of soluble protein, was noted in the callus with both isolates of G. piceiperda. In contrast to G. piceiperda, the callus with O. tetropii had a similar concentration of soluble protein as the control. The importance of these results with respect to the pathogenic abilities and the in vivo behaviour of the examined fungi is discussed