Embryo of Flowering Plants at the Critical Stage of Embryogenesis Relative Autonomy (by Example of Cereals)

摘要

Autonomy is a special structural and functional state of an embryo, reflecting its ability for self-regulation and independence from the adjacent tissues. Full autonomy is the ability to accomplish normal embryogenesis outside the maternal organism. In this regard, relative autonomy is of special interest. This is one of the critical stages of embryogenesis, when an immature embryo becomes independent of some physiological factors, in particular, hormones (mainly auxins, cytokinins, and ABA) of a maternal organism. The review surveys the literary and authors' original data on this phenomenon by examples of cereals as compared with other families of flowering plants. Identification of the relative embryonic autonomy as a critical stage in embryo culture in vitro, along with morphological, histological, and physiological statuses of the relatively autonomous embryos, is considered. Prospects of solving basic problems of autonomy of plants embryogenesis and and its biotechnological application autonomy are discussed.