In vitro cultivation of Mouriri elliptica (Mart.) a species with alimentary and medicinal potential using alternative to agar media

Abstract

Alternative supports can be successfully used in place of agar for 'in vitro' culture to increase seedling vigor. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of alternative support materials compared to agar in the 'in vitro' cultivation of 'Mouriri elliptica' (Mart.) in the absence or presence of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The alternative support materials used were medium-grain vermiculite, sugarcane ('Saccharum spp.' L.) bagasse and queen palm fiber ['Syagrus romanzoffiana' (Chamisso) Glassman]. For this, young plants with at least two axillary buds under in vivo conditions were transferred to in vitro condition considering four replications with three young plants. After 45 days was evaluated the growth and anatomical explant characteristics. Autoclaving these alternative supports without the media and proceeding the explant desinfestation was an efficient method to contamination control and plant growth in a in vitro condition. No differences were observed between agar, vermiculite and sugarcane bagasse cultures for most growth characteristics evaluated. Greater numbers of adventitious and secondary roots and greater root length were significantly observed in plantlets grown in the presence of vermiculite and the absence of naphthalene acetic acid. In the agar culture, roots had weak points and poorly differentiated tissues, with parenchymal tissue predominating. The addition of 2.0 mg L-1 naphthalene acetic acid used did not stimulate rooting in this specie. So, other auxin source and concentrations should be evaluated in future studies. Both support materials used, vermiculite and sugarcane bagasse, representing promising agar substitutes to obtain seedlings with roots.