In vitro responses in Passiflora species with different chromosome numbers, ploidy levels and nuclear 2C values: revisiting and providing new insights

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Tissue culture in Passiflora has emerged as a strategy to propagate species with agronomic relevance, which is the main focus of most in vitro studies. Different morphogenic responses have been obtained under the same environmental in vitro conditions, mainly for species of the subgenus Passiflora with distinct 2n chromosome numbers. The aims of this study were to verify and compare the in vitro responses in Passiflora species with distinct 2n chromosome numbers, ploidy levels and nuclear 2C values. Under the same in vitro conditions, only friable calli occurred from mature zygotic embryo explants of Passiflora coriacea (2n = 2x = 12 chromosomes, 2C = 1.00 pg), Passiflora lindeniana (2n = 4x = 24, 2C = 2.42 pg) and Passiflora contracta (2n = 8x = 48, 2C = 4.78 pg). In contrast, plantlets were regenerated from Passiflora foetida (2n = 20, 2C = 1.04 pg) and Passiflora miniata (2n = 18, 2C = 3.40 pg) via indirect organogenesis and indirect somatic embryogenesis, respectively. By now, from mature zygotic embryo explants, de novo shoot organogenesis and somatic embryos have been recovered for Passiflora species with 2n = 18 chromosomes and relative high nuclear 2C value (more than 2C = 2.93 pg—Passiflora cincinata), and only de novo shoot organogenesis for P. foetida with 2n = 20 chromosomes and relative low 2C value (2C = 1.04 pg). Therefore, in a taxonomic and evolutive context, this study showed that the in vitro morphogenic pathways pretty varied between the Passiflora species with distinct karyotype features.