The present invention relates to methods for promoting somatic
embryogenesis from a tissue or organ of a plant, by overexpressing a
Wuschel gene in said tissue or organ. In one embodiment, such
overexpression can be used as a silent selectable marker for transgenic
plants. In another embodiment, such expression can be used to confer
apomixis to a plant. In another embodiment, such overexpression can be
used to create haploid plants, which can be used to produce dihaploid
plants.