Abstract
ABSTRACT Jatropha curcas L. is a plant species with many potential applications, especially medicinal uses (hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, haemostatic, healing, anti-tumor). The objective of this study was to test germination in moist paper rolls for whole seeds and in vitro for excised embryonic axes, in an attempt to identify the best method to assess the quality of J. curcas seed germplasm, cryopreserved with different water contents. The experimental sample with a 6.2% moisture content (MC) was divided in subsamples which were hydrated and dehydrated for 0 (control), 4, 8, 11 and 24h. The initial germination percentages were 63% for whole seeds and 81% for excised embryonic axes. After exposure to liquid nitrogen (LN), germination percentages were 48% (whole seeds) and 57% (excised embryonic axes). There was no significant difference between germination percentages in embryonic excised from seeds subjected or not subjected to freezing, with different MC. In contrast, there was a reduction of the whole seed germination percentage when exposed to LN (contrast = 0.17, standard error = 0.04, t = 4.09, p = 0.001) and not for the hydration and dehydration treatments. The methodology based on in vitro cultures of the embryonic axis isolated from seeds stored in LN with distinct MC values was more efficient than the standard germination test to evaluate the viability of J. curcas seeds before and after LN storage.
Highlights
Jatropha curcas L. is a species of flowering plant in the Euphorbiaceae family, native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America
The objective of the present study was identifying the best method to assess quality of cryopreserved Jatropha curcas seed germplasm at different moisture contents, testing seed germination in moist paper rolls and in vitro culture of excised embryonic axes
Plant material Experimental sample consisted of equal number of seeds collected, when they started dispersal, from four different plants of J. curcas growing in the field collection of the Jatropha Germplasm Active Genebank maintained by Embrapa Agroenergia in Planaltina, Federal District, Brazil
Summary
Jatropha curcas L. is a species of flowering plant in the Euphorbiaceae family, native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America. It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical. Seeds with high lipid content have shown reduced lifespan under storage in genebanks when conventional conservation are adopted, -18oC (Crane et al, 2003). The sensitivity of lipid seeds to storage conditions at low temperatures can be attributed possibly to hydrolytic and oxidative rancidity of fatty acids, resulting in loss of germination, viability and vigor (Chmielarz, 2009; Mbofung, 2012)
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