Enhanced seed germination of Ilex dumosa R. (Aquifoliaceae) through in vitro culture of cut pyrenes

DOLCE, NATALIA R.; MROGINSKI, LUIS A.; REY, HEBE Y.

HORTSCIENCE

AMER SOC HORTICULTURAL SCIENCE

Lugar: Alexandria; Año: 2011 vol. 46 p. 1 - 4

0018-5345

An in vitro culture protocol was developed that increased the germination percentage and decreased the lag time to germination for Ilex dumosa R. pyrenes as a tool for replacing the laborious task of embryo rescue technique. This method involves transversely cutting surface-sterilized pyrenes with a scalpel blade, then placing the micropylar one-third end with the rudimentary embryo (0.25 mm long) on solidified (agar 0.65%) quarter-strength salts and vitamins of Murashige and Skoog, 1962 medium with 3% sucrose, and incubating in a growth room at 27 ± 2 8C with a 14-h photoperiod (116 mmolm?2 s?1). Most of the cut pyrenes (greater than 50%) germinated within the first month after inoculation and achieved maximum germination (70%) in 2 months compared with whole pyrenes, which began to germinate 3 months after sowing and required more than 8 months for maximum germination (37%). Moreover, the germination percentage of cut pyrenes was significantly higher than the germination of isolated embryos (34%). Thus, the cut pyrenes culture is a simpler and more effective technique than embryo rescue. Easily, on average, a trained operator is able to culture ~1000 cut pyrenes per day instead of ~100 isolated embryos.