Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration in Cornus florida

Somatic embryos were initiated from 12 to 15 weeks postanthesis (WPA) zygotic embryos of Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood) cultured on Murashige-Skoog (MS) or Schenk and Hildebrandt (SH) medium amended with either 3 mg/L 2,4-D or 5 mg/L 2,4-D and 1 mg/L kinetin. White, opaque globular and early cotyledonary stage embryos were formed directly on detached cotyledons from 2 of the 5 trees sampled after 7 weeks of culture. Morphologically mature embryos developed after an additional 4 weeks incubation on medium without growth regulators; however, many of the embryos were fused in pairs along the entire length of the hypocotyl-radicle axis. Indirect embryogenesis was observed from callus cultures initiated from 9 to 15 WPA zygotic embryos. These cultures have continued to produce embryos for 16 months. Many of the embryos formed roots on germination medium, but only 12% formed plantlets and none developed past the first true leaf stage.