Towards industrial production of tree varieties through somatic embryogenesis and other vegetative propagation technologies: Nordmanns fir (Abies nordmanniana (Steven) Spach) - From research to production.

The main focus of the research on somatic embryogenesis in nordmanns fir has until recently been on improving the basic protocols in each step of the process. However, with recent developments, one single set of methods has shown to be effective for production of plants from more than 500 different untested cell lines. The developed method ensured a very good selection of genotypes at any of the involved steps: initiation, proliferation, cryo preservation, maturation, germination, and nursery culture. Growth and development of clonally propagated plants in the field were similar to those of seed produced plants. For this reason the focus is changing towards improvement of protocols for cost effective large scale production in a commercial set up. The first elite clones have been identified from a small preliminary clonal field trial from 2007, and larger clonal field trials have been established in 2014 and 2015 with 8000 plants from 400 clones.