Patent ID: 7685769

Claim:
A method of storing conifer somatic embryo germinants germinated on a sterile germination medium for delayed transplanting into a growth medium, comprising the steps of: (a) culturing conifer somatic embryos on sterile germination medium for a period of time from about 4 weeks to about 14 weeks to produce germinants comprising a visible, well-defined epicotyl and radicle; (b) placing the germinants comprising a visible, well-defined epicotyl and radicle produced in step (a), while still on the sterile germination medium, into a dark, cold environment in which the temperature is in the range of 0.5° C. to 10° C. for a time period up to 6 months; and (c) transferring the germinants stored according to step (b) from the germination medium into water, and storing the germinants in water for a time of up to about four weeks at a temperature of about 0.5° C. to about 5° C. prior to transplantation into growth medium.