An in vitro technique was adapted for screening the ability of Rosa hybrida L. genotypes to form embryogenic callus to elucidate the inheritance of this ability. Filament and leaf petiole explants of modern rose cultivars 'Tournament of Roses' and 'Baby Love' were cultured on somatic embryogenesis induction media and evaluated for the ability to produce embryogenic callus. Cultures of 'Tournament of Roses' produced somatic embryos at a much higher frequency versus 'Baby Love' that produced no embryos. Subsequently, filament explants of eleven 'Tournament of Roses' x 'Baby Love' progeny genotypes were cultured on somatic embryogenesis induction media and evaluated for the ability to undergo somatic embryogenesis. The progeny genotypes produced somatic embryos at varied frequencies. The results obtained indicated that the ability to undergo embryogenesis in Rosa hybrida L. is heritable in an additive fashion with the involvement of more than one gene.
