Propagation of American Elm via Cell Suspension Cultures

American elm was propagated from callus derived from cell suspension cultures. Suspensions, established from callus, were plated onto agar where, after transfer to a simpler defined medium over 18 months, shoots were produced. Maintenance of high auxin levels yielded roots but no shoots. Shoots were removed from the callus, were treated briefly with indole-3-butyric acid, and transferred to a sphagnum moss – sand mixture for rooting. Other than the absence of cotyledons, plants from callus were comparable to elm seedlings.