ABSTRACT
Ocotea porosa seeds have strong tegument dormancy, recalcitrant behavior, low and irregular germination and that makes its natural propagation difficult. The aim of this study was to establish a protocol of regeneration of Ocotea porosa from somatic embryogenesis. Immature embryonic axes were inoculated on WPM culture medium supplemented with 2.4-D (200 µM) combined or not with hydrolyzed casein or glutamine (0.5 or 1 g l-1), during 90 days. The repetitive embryogenesis was induced on medium with 2.4-D (22.62 µM) combined with 2-iP (2.46 µM) followed by transfer to culture medium with hydrolyzed casein or glutamine (1 g l-1) during 90 days. The maturation of somatic embryos was tested in culture medium containing NAA (0.5 μM) and 2-iP (5; 10 and 20 μM). The highest percentage of somatic embryos induction (8.3%) was observed in WPM culture medium containing 200 µM 2.4-D and 1 g L-1 hydrolyzed casein and the development of somatic embryos occurred indirectly. Repetitive somatic embryogenesis was promoted in WPM medium containing hydrolyzed casein or glutamine. However, the culture medium containing hydrolyzed casein promoted the maintenance of embryogenic capacity for more than two years. During the maturity phase, there was a low progression of globular embryos to cordiform and torpedo stages. The different ontogenetic stages of somatic embryos of Ocotea porosa were characterized by histological studies.
Keywords:
Embryogenic mass; hydrolyzed casein; glutamine; histology