TDZ induces a dual morphogenetic pathway on leaf explants of the beach huckleberry – Gaylussacia brasiliensis

Abstract

Gaylussacia brasiliensis is a bush from the Ericaceae family native to South America. It is considered an underutilized fruit species, despite its importance as a food source, medicinal plant, and forage for the native fauna. In the Florianópolis island, south of Brazil, it occurs in sand deposits between the Atlantic Ocean and the mountain chains of the Atlantic Rain Forest, in a vegetation type called “Restinga”, a harsh environment where plants are exposed to stressful conditions. Constand winds, high solar radiation, saltwater sprays, and low nutrient levels are common in the Restinga environment, making G. brasiliensis an important genetic resource to face the expected effects of climate change. Despite its importance, there are no sexual or asexual protocols available for its propagation. This is the first record of a micropropagation protocol for a plant of the Gaylussacia genus. We report a reliable protocol for in vitro establishment of G. brasiliensis cultures from seeds, and an efficient micropropagation protocol using leaf explants. A dual regeneration pathway, i.e., somatic embryos and adventitious shoots, can be obtained directly from leaf explants without an intermediating callus tissue. A low concentration of TDZ can be used to achieve this goal, and a high number of plants can be obtained rapidly, allowing advances in the research of this underutilized plant species and enabling its propagation for commercial or conservation purposes.