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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » National Clonal Germplasm Repository » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #211282
Title: Cryopreservation of Fruit and Ornamental Trees

Author
item ZHAO, YANHAO - HAAFS CHINA
item WU, YONGJIE - HAAFS CHINA
item CHANG, YONGJIAN - NORTH AMERICAN PLANTS LLC
item Reed, Barbara

Submitted to: Plant Cryopreservation, A Practical Guide
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2007
Publication Date: 11/12/2007
Citation: Zhao, Y., Wu, Y., Chang, Y., Reed, B.M. 2007. Cryopreservation of Fruit and Ornamental Trees. In: Reed, B.M., editor. Plant Cryopreservation A Practical Guide. New York, NY: Springer. p. 387-420.

Interpretive Summary: The conventional method for conservation of woody plants is in field collections or in natural preserves. Genebanks that collect these plants for use by plant breeders have field collections that require secondary plant collections in case of disease or environmental pressures. Seeds are not an option for many trees as the seeds are not true to type for the important cultivars. Long-term preservation of important fruit and ornamental trees requires methods that retain specific gene combination of the crops. Plant tissue cultures are one option and they can be held in cold storage for years without reculture. For longer storage cryopreservation, storage in liquid nitrogen (-320 °F), is the preferred technique. This chapter summarizes the current state of cryopreservation of fruit and ornamental trees, and provides nine step-by-step cryopreservation protocols for laboratory use.

Technical Abstract: The conventional method for conservation of woody plants is in excitu field collections or in situ in nature preserves. Genebanks with field collections require secondary plant collections for these invaluable genetic resources. Seeds are not an option for many of these trees as they are genetically heterozygous. Long-term preservation of important fruit and ornamental trees requires methods that retain the clonal character of the crops. In vitro cultures are one option and they can be held under minimum growth conditions for years without reculture. For 5 to 10 years or longer storage, cryopreservation is the preferred technique. This chapter summarizes the current state of cryopreservation of fruit and ornamental trees, and provides nine step-by- step cryopreservation protocols for laboratory use.