Abstract Trees were regenerated from six white
spruce embryogenic clones after cryopreservation for 3
and 4 years, respectively. Genetic stability was evalu-
ated using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA
(RAPD) fingerprints. Somaclonal variation was
detected in some in vitro embryogenic cultures 2 and 12
months after they were re-established following cryo-
preservation but not in the corresponding regenerated
trees. These results suggest that trees regenerated from
cryopreserved cultures in subsequent years are prima-
rily genetically stable in the genomic regions tested and
that variation observed due to the in vitro culture
process infrequently affects trees regenerated from
normally maturing and germinating somatic embryos.
However, trees regenerated from somatic embryos that
matured or germinated abnormally in in vitro culture
exhibited altered RAPD fragment patterns.