Many cell lines in the embryogenic callus cannot produce somatic embryos (SEs) even if they meet the optimal SE maturation culture conditions during conifer somatic embryogenesis. This phenomenon hinders the progress of the industrial-scale reproduction of conifers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to obtain morphological and physiological markers to screen embryogenic calli in response to SE maturation conditions. To detect cell lines with high somatic embryogenesis potential during the proliferation process, we counted the number of pro-embryos and early SEs (ESEs) in different cell lines and storage substances, endogenous hormones, and polyamine contents. The results showed that the yield of P. koraiensis SEs was heavily dependent on genotype (p = 0.001). There were high levels of PE III (pro-embryo III) number, ESE number, and soluble protein content, in the response cell lines (R cell lines), which were 1.6-, 3-, and 1.1-fold those of the obstructive cell lines (B cell lines), respectively. The B cell line had high levels of starch, auxin (IAA), Put, Spd, and putrescine: spermine (Put: Spm) compared to the R cell line. In addition, the numbers of PE III, ESEs, and soluble protein content were significantly positively correlated with SE yield. In contrast, the contents of starch, abscisic acid (ABA), Put, Spm, and Spd were significantly negatively correlated with SE yield. To ensure the accuracy of the results, we used nine cell lines to test the results. The PE III and ESE numbers and the Spm and Spd contents were positively correlated with SE yield, while the levels of starch, ABA, IAA, Put: Spd, and Put: Spm were negatively correlated with SE yield. Thus, we recommend using high PE III and ESEs as morphological indicators and low levels of starch, IAA, ABA, and Put: Spm as physiological markers to screen cell lines with a high somatic embryogenesis potential. In addition, we also found that the relationship between Spd, Spm, and SE yield was opposite in the two experimental results. Therefore, we speculate that the differences in Spd and Spm content are mainly affected by genotype. In conclusion, this study obtained the morphological and physiological markers of some high-somatic embryogenic cell lines by comparing the differences between nine somatic embryogenic cell lines. Our results can guide the improvement of conifer somatic embryogenesis technology and can provide a theoretical basis for accelerating the application of biotechnology in large-scale artificial breeding.
Keywords: Pinus koraiensis; embryonic cell proliferation; morphological characteristics; physiological characteristics; somatic embryo yield.