Different friable Hevea callus lines from the same genotype can display different embryogenic and regenerative potentials. These lines can not be distinguished on the basis of macroscopic criteria. A histological and molecular study was undertaken to characterize the differences existing between five callus lines with different potentials. The genes differentially expressed during induction were analyzed using the differential display (DD-RT) technique. Twenty-eight cDNAs were found to be differentially expressed during induction in the embryogenic regenerating line (ER). Embryogenic nodules were formed earlier in the ER lines than in the embryogenic non-regenerating lines and were completely absent in the non-embryogenic line. Of these 28 cDNAs, five could be used to distinguish between calli prior to induction, thereby enabling an early diagnosis of friable Hevea callus embryogenic potential.