Method to improve manufactured seed germination
The invention provides methods for improving the germination of manufactured seeds. The methods comprise the steps of: (a) culturing a plant embryo in a germination medium; and (b) assembling the cultured plant embryo into a manufactured seed. The methods of the invention are applicable to zygotic and somatic plant embryos.
1. A method for improving germination of a manufactured seed, comprising:
(a) culturing a post-development plant embryo in a germination medium comprising amino acids to form a cultured post-development plant embryo; and
(b) assembling the cultured post-development plant embryo into a manufactured seed.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant embryo is cultured in the germination medium for between about 4 hours and about 24 hours.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plant embryo is cultured in the germination medium for about 20 hours.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the germination medium comprises a carbon source, wherein the carbon source is at least one of sucrose, glucose, maltose, fructose, and starch.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the carbon source is sucrose.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the germination medium comprises an adsorbent composition.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the adsorbent composition is charcoal.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the germination medium comprises a polyamine.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the germination medium comprises at least one hormone.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the hormone comprises at least one gibberellin.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the germination medium comprises at least 8 components selected from the group consisting of: charcoal, a carbon source, urea, KNO 3 , NH 4 NO 3 , CuCl 2 , CuSO 4 , KI, KH 2 PO 4 , CaCl 2 , MgSO 4 , Na 2 EDTA, FeSO 4 , ferric citrate, MnSO 4 , MnCl 2 , H 3 BO 3 , ZnSO 4 , CoCl 2 , Na 2 MoO 4 , (NH 4 ) 2 MoO 4 , thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, HCl, Ca-pantothenate, nicotinic acid, biotin, folic acid, and myo-inositol.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the germination medium further comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of: polyamines, oxygen-carrying compounds, and a smoke suspension.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant embryo is a post-development somatic plant embryo.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the somatic plant embryo is a conifer somatic plant embryo.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the somatic plant embryo is a Douglas-fir somatic plant embryo.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the somatic plant embryo is a loblolly pine somatic plant embryo.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plant embryo is a post- development somatic plant embryo produced by a method comprising:
(a) culturing plant tissue in an initiation medium to form embryogenic cells;
(b) culturing the embryogenic cells of step (a) in a maintenance media to form multiplied embryogenic cells;
(c) culturing the multiplied embryogenic cells of step (b) in a development medium to form somatic plant embryos; and
(d) culturing the somatic plant embryos of step (c) under conditions that promote embryo maturity to form post-development somatic plant embryos.