Somatic Embryogenesis in Papaya (Carica papaya L.).

High mortality rates of in vitro plants during ex vitro acclimatization, due to low rooting, is one of the main problems of papaya tissue culture. This work was carried out with the objective to obtain 100% hermaphroditic in vitro plants of the papaya cultivar "Maradol Roja" by somatic embryogenesis, which have an adequate rooting system that allows them a higher survival percentage in the ex vitro acclimatization phase. In international scientific literature, there are several protocols; however, not all of them cover the different phases of somatic embryogenesis. This chapter describes a complete and optimized protocol from immature zygotic embryos in this cultivar. It also looks at the morpho-anatomical characterization of somatic embryos in the different stages of ontogenetic development, as well as high survival rates under ex vitro conditions of the plants obtained. It can be used for genetic improvement and propagation of this species.