The rapid progress on somatic embryogenesis and its prospects for potential application to improving woody plants prompted this book. The editors believed that such a treatise was needed and would be useful to researchers and students. Volume 6 is dedicated to Professor Harry Waris, Helsinki, Finland, who did pioneer work on somatic embryogenesis. The volume is divided into three sections and contains a total of 26 chapters. Section A comprises seven chapters covering topics such as: historical insights into some contemporary problems in somatic embryogenesis (SE); thin cell layer for somatic embryogenesis induction in woody trees; SE in tropical fruit and forest trees; SE in fruit and forest arid trees; the status of SE in Indian forest trees; SE research in fruit trees in India; and applications of SE for the improvement of tropical fruit trees. Section B comprises 15 chapters, dealing with: SE in oil palm, hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.), pistachio (Pistacia vera L.), Araucaria angustifolia, Quercus suber, Aspidosperma polyneuron, Acacia senegal, Simmondsia chiensis, Cupressus sempervirens, pecan (Carya illinoinensis), rattan (Calamus spp.)
, tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea, longan (Dimocarpus longan Lor.), Aegle marmelos, and Euonymus europaeus. Section C comprises three chapters related to cryo-storage of citrus, conifers and rubber. All the chapters have been peer-reviewed and revised.