Background: Pinus radiata is an economically important conifer, and somatic embryogenesis is being currently used for its propagation. But the embryogenic competence of cultures decreases with culture age. To cope with this, cryopreservation protocols have been developed lately for different Pinus species. Although cryopreservation reduces the costs associated with embryogenic cultures maintenance, the initial investment and the maintenance of cryotanks are expensive when dealing with somatic embryogenesis basic research issues.
Objective: To study the feasibility of storing embryogenic cell lines at -80 degree C for over a year.
Materials and methods: The feasibility of the conservation method was assessed in terms of recovery, maturation and germination rates.
Results: The recovery rates were up to 77 percnt;, and maturation and germination rates were 86 percnt; and 83 percnt;, respectively.
Conclusion: The work described here is a simple and low-cost protocol that enables successful conservation of embryogenic cell lines for over a year.