Abstract
The aim of this work was to develop an in vitro conservation protocol for Lippia alba that involved mineral oil and to study the leaf anatomy of L. alba genotypes in in vitro and ex vitro environments. In vitro conservation involved five genotypes; LA-13 and LA-57 (carvone chemotype); LA-22 (linalool chemotype); and LA-29 and LA-44 (citral chemotype). Each genotype was treated with mineral oil, with water, and a control at 18°C and 23°C. Survival (%), shoot height (cm) and leaf color were assessed at 180 and 270 days. The genotypes with the best in vitro conservation outcomes (LA-13 and LA-57) were used to study the anatomy of the leaves. Midrib thickness, leaf blade thickness, adaxial and abaxial cuticles and the number of glandular and tector trichomes were assessed. A temperature of 18°C was optimal for the conservation of genotypes of the carvone chemotypes. The explants were short and had green leaves. This was especially true for LA-57, whose height did not exceed 2.0 cm. At 270 days, the LA-13 and LA-57 genotypes continued to have green and viable leaves, especially LA-57, which had the lowest mean height. Field plants of the carvone chemotype had thicker midribs, leaf blades, and cuticles and had more trichomes. The LA-57 genotype had the most glandular and tector trichomes.
Highlights
Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. is a native South American plant that is used widely for medicinal purposes
This study aimed to develop an in vitro conservation protocol for L. alba that used mineral oil and to analyze the leaf anatomy of its genotypes in vitro and ex vitro environments
The survival rates of the water-immersed and control explants were lower than that of explants that were immersed in mineral oil, except for the LA-57 genotype, which had means greater than 83% under all three treatments (Table 1)
Summary
Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. is a native South American plant that is used widely for medicinal purposes. The high chemical variability of its essential oils supports differentiation of the plants into several chemotypes and makes this species the object of studies that involve its antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties (GUPTA et al, 2001; HENNEBELLE et al, 2008). Such chemical diversity results from environmental factors and from the genotypic variation of these plants (TAVARES et al, 2005) and accounts for the growing interest in its conservation. The maintenance of genotypes under aseptic conditions, reduction of labor costs, optimization of the use of physical space, and ease of exchange of plant material are some of the advantages of in vitro conservation (ENGELMANN, 2011)
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