Somatic embryogenesis from leaf segments of Quercus castanea Mill.

Objective: To evaluate the capacity of leaf segments obtained from young shoots collected from adult Quercus castanea Mill. trees to form embryogenic callus and somatic embryos under in vitro conditions. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, two culture media were compared to induce embryogenic callus and somatic embryos from leaf segments. In the second stage, the medium that produced the best response was evaluated under two incubation conditions, light and darkness, to determine their effect on callus growth and somatic embryo development. Results: In the first stage, WPM medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L⁻¹ 2,4-D showed the best response, with 82% embryogenic callus formation and 32% somatic embryo formation. In the second stage, no statistically significant differences were detected between light and darkness, indicating that these conditions did not substantially did not significantly affect callus volume.. Somatic embryos maturation reached 95%after transfer to MS medium without growth regulators and supplemented with 100 mg L⁻¹ polyvinylpyrrolidone. Limitations/implications: The study was conducted under controlled in vitro culture conditions and focused on the response of leaf explants obtained from young shoots of adult trees; therefore, further studies are required to strengthen the protocol and evaluate its reproducibility under broader experimental conditions. Findings/conclusions: Leaf segments of Q. castanea constitute a viable source of explants for the induction of somatic embryogenesis. WPM medium supplemented with 2,4-D promoted embryogenic callus induction and somatic embryo formation, whereas incubation under light or darkness did not significantly modify the response.