Partners and International Organizations
(English)
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A, B, CH, CZ, D; DK, E, F, FIN, G, H, I, IRL, L, N, NL, P, PL, S, SK, UK
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Abstract
(English)
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Somatic embryogenesis (SE) in plant biotechnology is a prerequisite for an economic, vegetative multiplication system in vitro of plants which are either used for commercial propagation or breeding programmes (e.g. raising fully transformed plants after mutagenesis or gentransfer). SE is also applied for plants which are outbreeders (heterozygous) to propagate selected donor-plants vegetativelly to produce F1 hybrid seed. Within the Working Group two (WG-2) of this COST 822 Action, two model plants were chosen for the experiments: Cylamen persicum and Picea abies, whereas our lab participated in the sub-group which dealt with the cyclamen suspension cultures. Each lab received samples of a stock-culture in vitro, which were further subcultured following a standard protocol. After the first year it was clear, that only 2 out of 12 laboratories were successful in regenerating somatic embryos from the stock cultures. Therefore each lab performed special modifications of the standard protocol to optimise each culture step. At the end of the project period each lab was able to propagate calli, induce SE and raise plants. This demonstrates the importance of these programmes and regularly contacts at the annual meetings to present their own results and to exchange experiences, positive and negative ones, which allowed to improve the whole procedure and achieve the proposed objectives of the COST 822 Action. For our own laboratory the participation in this programme was most valuable for improving the methodology to induce somatic embryos and their further cultivation to whole plants. In addition we would like to thank the BBW for its financial support. As a final remark I would like to add, that if Switzerland wants to fulfil its general statement that biotechnology is a key technology for the future, then substantial support (financial and human resources), also in the field of horticultural crops, should be provided again in the future to allow the Swiss participant to benefit from these programmes.
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