Eucalypts (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.)

Eucalyptus globulus has a great economic importance as its wood shows an excellent quality for cellulose and paper manufacture. Somatic embryogenesis (SE) provides many advantages including clonal mass propagation, cryopreservation of valuable germoplasm and genetic transformation. Here, protocols for SE induction from both immature zygotic embryos and shoot apex and leaf explants derived from mature E. globulus trees are described. The importance of the auxin type used to induce somatic embryos has been highlighted. Whereas naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) is currently used on induction of SE from zygotic embryos, picloram was significantly more efficient in leaves and shoot apex explants than NAA. Protocols for embryo maintenance and plantlet conversion are also described the chapter.