Re-induction of Embryogenic Tissue from the Cryopreserved Somatic Embryo in Japanese Larch (Larix leptolepis Gordon)

The study aimed to develop a cryopreservation method for long-term storage using mature somatic embryo of Japanese larch. In this study, desiccation treatments significantly affected re-induction rates of embryogenic tissue (ET) from dried somatic embryos. In the effect of different dehydration temperature and duration on the re-initiation ET. the highest frequency was shown when somatic embryos were dehydrated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 2 (45.5%) or 1 day (43.3%), respectively. In addition, low temperatures [$4^{\circ}C$, 2 days (44.2%) or 3 days (43.5%)] were marked higher ET initiation. After that, the initiation value was declined with dehydration duration. For comparison of different relative humidity on re-induction frequency of ET, the best re-induction (43.5%) was obtained from somatic embryos pre-dried at $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ (RH 79%). Both $Na_2HPO_4$ (RH 97%) and $Na_2CO_3$ (RH 88%) treatments were showed the similar rate, 34.6, 34.2%, respectively. However the lowest rate (19.6%) was observed in distilled water (RH 100%). In comparison of the various storage temperatures and duration of the dried somatic embryos, the highest frequency (66.9%) of re-initiation was obtained when somatic embryos were cryopreserved for one day. However, the frequency was gradually decreased as the time length of storage increased regardless of types of storage. None of ET re-initiated when stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 1, 2 and 84 days.