Nine oat genotypes were cultivated in vitro to evaluate callus initiaton and subsequent somatic embryogenesis. The immature embryo were submited to different protocola (MURASHIGE & SKOOG (1962) médium with differents hormones dosages). The protocols tested caused differences in somatic embryogenesis, and the best of them was selected to continue the research. After a month in subculture médium the cali were evaluated concerning embryoid porcentage, and showed differences according to genotype in experiment 2, UFRGS 7 and UFRGS 8 presented superior means. The covariance analysis revealed that in some genotypes this parameter is important.
immature embryo; callus induction; tissue culture; hexaploid oat