Caffeine, the alkaloid known as 1,3,7 - trimetilxantina, is found in quiescent coffee seeds, amounting to a total of 1.1 to 1.7% in Coffea arabica L. and 2 to 3% in Coffea canephora Pierre, mostly localized in theo endosperm, in the free cytoplasm of cells or complexed with chlorogenic acids. With the physiological function in plants not yet completely understood, caffeine causes an allelophatic effect, either inhibiting germination of a number of species or as an anti-herbivore or a natural pesticide agent. The slow germination of coffee seeds has not yet been elucidated and several causes are pointed to, such as the presence of the endocarp, low water and O2 uptake and presence of natural inhibitors and hormonal balance. Although suggested, studies on coffee seed inhibition by the action of endogenous or exogenous caffeine are scarce. Thus, the present study was designed to investigate the effect of exogenous caffeine on both germination and embryo development of Coffea arabica L. and Coffea canephora Pierre. The experiment was conducted by utilizing seeds from red ripe berries of the cultivars Rubi and Apoatã IAC-2258. After disinfecting the berries for 30 minutes by soaking in sodium hypochlorite (2% a.i.) and washing three times in distilled water and autoclaved, the embryos were removed and inoculated in a aseptic manner, in Petrri dishes with 50% MS medium with the addition of sucrose and supplemented with different of concentrations of caffeine (0.00; 0.05; 0.10; 0.15; 0.20; 0.25; 0.30 and 0.40%). The embryos were maintained in a growth room at 27±20ºC and photon flow density of 13µmol.m-2.s-1 for 23 days, when shoot length, root length and seedling fresh mass were evaluated. Five days after cultivation, the percentage of radicle emission and that of cotyledons were evaluated, calculating the embryos with open cotyledons and with expanded radicles. A complete randomized experimental design was used six replications per treatment, each replicate consisting of five embryos. It follows that germination and in vitro development of embryos of Coffea arabica L. and of Coffea canephora Pierre are affected by exogenous caffeine. The detrimental effect of exogenous caffeine on Coffea embryos is greater on the radicles than on the cotyledons. Coffea arabica L. embryos are more sensitive to the negative effects of exogenous caffeine than embryos of Coffea canephora Pierre. Caffeine can contribute to the slow seed germination and slow coffee seedling development.
coffee; germination; allelopathy; inhibitor
