In vitro regeneration and conservation of wild species of Arachis

Abstract

SummaryWild species of Arachis are restricted to South America and generally occur in regions under intensive environmental disturbance. Both in situ and ex situ conservation strategies are required in order to maintain the availability of these genotypes. This work developed in vitro regeneration systems from seed explants of 17 wild species of Arachis from six Sections (Heteranthae, Caulorrhizae, Triseminatae, Erectoides, Procumbentes and Arachis). After seed disinfection, embryonic axes, leaflets and cotyledons were excised aseptically and cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 8.8 µM, 22 µM or 110 µM 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). Cultures were maintained in a growth chamber at 28° ± 2°C with a 16 h photoperiod. Regeneration patterns from seed explants were similar among species from all Sections. Embryonic axes produced plants through meristematic amplification or multiple shoot formation, while cotyledons and embryonic leaflets produced shoots at significantly lower frequencies through direct and indirect organogenesis, respectively. Shoots obtained from all explants were transferred to MS medium without growth regulators to induce root formation.