During somatic embryogenesis of Pinus koraiensis, the ability of the embryogenic callus to produce embryos gradually decreases with long-term proliferative culture, which seriously affects large-scale application of this technology. In this study, embryogenic calli of Korean pine 1–100 cell line were used as materials. It was found that in the 7-day subculture cycle of embryogenic calli the somatic embryogenic potential of Korean pine remained for the longer time. In comparison with a subculture cycle of 14 days, indoleacetic acid (IAA), soluble sugar, and starch contents in embryogenic callus were higher with a subculture cycle of 7 days, while hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content showed the opposite trend. Further, low levels of endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) and high levels of IAA could inhibit somatic embryogenesis of P. koraiensis calli. Among different carbon sources, maltose produced more storage materials and higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities than sucrose, which was conducive to cell differentiation and somatic embryogenesis. The results revealed the physiological characteristics of the loss of embryogenic capacity of Korean pine embryogenic callus and provided a basis for the long-term maintenance of its somatic embryogenic capacity.

Cryopreservation is an important method for the excellent long-term preservation of plant germplasm. This study explores an optimal cryopreservation technology for the embryogenic callus of Fraxinus mandshurica to effectively maintain its genetic stability and morphogenesis potential. The optimal cryopreservation conditions were assessed using the embryogenic callus of F. mandshurica as the material, and the slow cooling method was optimized for its cryopreservation. The results indicated that the preculture of embryogenic callus in 0.4 mol·L−1 sorbitol solution for 20 h at room temperature, followed by its cryoprotection in 7.5% dimethyl sulfoxide solution at 0 °C for 90 min, constituted the optimal material treatment method. The freezing tube was placed in a −80 °C refrigerator for 2 h and then quickly put into liquid nitrogen for frozen storage. During thawing, the cryopreservation tube was taken out from liquid nitrogen, directly placed in a water bath at 40 °C for 2 min, and used for culturing on the woody plant media + 0.1 mg·L−1 6-benzyladenine + 0.15 mg·L−1 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. After cryopreservation using the slow cooling method, the highest survival rate of callus cells was 80.82%. The fresh weight reached 1.93 g after 60-day recovery culture. The regeneration rate and the proliferation coefficient of the callus were 100% and 2.79, respectively. The differentiation rate was 56.83%, and the emergence rate was 23.59%. The results provide a scientific basis for the long-term preservation of F. mandshurica germplasm resources.

The fertilization process is a critical step in plant reproduction. However, the mechanism of action and mode of regulation of the fertilization process in gymnosperms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the molecular regulatory networks involved in the fertilization process in Korean pine ovules through anatomical observation, physiological and biochemical assays, and transcriptome sequencing technology. The morphological and physiological results indicated that fertilization proceeds through the demise of the proteinaceous vacuole, egg cell division, and pollen tube elongation. Auxin, cytokinin, soluble sugar, and soluble starch contents begin to decline upon fertilization. Transcriptomic data analysis revealed a large number of differentially expressed genes at different times before and after fertilization. These genes were primarily involved in pathways associated with plant hormone signal transduction, protein processing in the endoplasmic reticulum, fructose metabolism, and mannose metabolism. The expression levels of several key genes were further confirmed by qRT-PCR. These findings represent an important step towards understanding the mechanisms underlying morphological changes in the Korean pine ovule during fertilization, and the physiological and transcriptional analyses lay a foundation for in-depth studies of the molecular regulatory network of the Korean pine fertilization process.

In order to simplify the experimental procedure and treatment procedure, we preserved the embryonic callus (EC) of Fraxinus mandshurica more efficiently. In this paper, we established a method for cryopreservation of EC of F. mandshurica by vitrification. EC was subcultured for 7–10 days (d). Vigorous EC with good growth conditions were selected, and cryopreservation was performed by vitrification. The best pre-culture method was to pre-culture EC on 0.5 mol·L−1 sucrose medium for 3 d, load and culture in the liquid woody plant medium (WPM) supplemented with 2 mol·L−1 glycerol and 0.4 mol·L−1 sucrose for 60 min, then dehydrate in 2 mL of plant vitrification solution 2 (PVS2) (30% glycerol + 15% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) + 15% ethylene glycol + 0.4 mol·L−1 sucrose + liquid WPM). EC was rewarmed in a 40 °C water bath for 2 min after cooling in liquid nitrogen. The procedure for cryopreservation of F. mandshurica EC by the vitrification method established in this experiment is relatively reliable. The results from the present study provide a technical reference for improving the cryopreservation of F. mandshurica EC.