Preliminary Attempts in Larch Embryo Culture

Embryos of Larix decidua were placed on synthetic culture media at the stage at which the primary suspensors (and occasionally also the first embryonal tubes) were elongating. Usually several additional cells, destined to form embryonal tubes, were also present behind the apical embryonic tier. After 2 months, growth in the forty different media was limited in comparison with that in natural conditions. Not all embryos grew uniformly, and the type of growth was anomalous. In several cases cleavage of the first embryonal tubes occurred at the tips of the primary suspensors. The significance of this "abnormal" cleavage in the larch embryo is discussed.