Advances in cryopreservation of Syzygium maire (swamp maire, maire tawake) zygotic embryos, a critically endangered tree species endemic to New Zealand

Syzygium maire is a threatened Myrtaceae tree species endemic to New Zealand. Due to its highly recalcitrant seed, cryopreservation is the only viable long-term ex situ conservation option for this species. Our previous attempts to cryopreserve the embryonic axis (EAs) of S. maire were unsuccessful but did provide a better understanding of desiccation behavior, biochemical composition, oxidative status, and ultrastructural changes associated with desiccation in EAs.