Increased gelling agent concentration promotes somatic embryo maturation in hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepsis): a 2-DE proteomic analysis.

An integrated physiological and proteomic approach was used to investigate the effects of high gellan gum concentration in the medium during maturation of somatic embryos (SE) of hybrid larch, by comparing embryos incubated in media with a high gellan gum concentration (8 g l(-1) ) and the standard concentration (4 g l(-1) ) after 1, 3, 6 and 8 weeks of maturation. Because of the reduced availability of water in the 8 g l(-1) medium, the cultured embryos had a lower osmotic water potential (Ψπ) and water contents, but higher dry weights (DWs), at 8 weeks compared with embryos cultured on the standard medium. The high gellan gum concentration induced a desiccation that is characteristic in zygotic embryo maturation.