In vitro culture of shoot apices from juvenile and adult yellow passion fruit plants

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate in vitro plant regeneration from the shoot apices of juvenile and adult passion fruit plants and provide a basis for future clonal cleanup of superior genotypes through the use of tissue culture. The studies were divided into three experiments to evaluate the effect of age and origin of the donor plant, the culture medium methodology and the size of the explants. The shoot apices were inoculated in Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium with 3% sucrose and three 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) concentrations: 0, 1 or 2 mg L-1. Next, the samples were transferred to a half-strength mineral salt medium (½ MS) and supplemented with 1 mg L-1 indolebutyric acid (IBA). Two cultivation methods were used: one with variations in the cultivation period in the MS medium (26 or 60 days) and the other with or without transfer to half-strength mineral salt medium (½ MS). The methodology by which explants are maintained in MS medium supplemented with 1 mg L-1 BAP for 26 days, followed by transfer to ½ MS medium supplemented with 1 mg L-1 IBA for 21 days of cultivation and then transfer to ½ MS medium for 14 days is more appropriate for regenerating plants from the shoot apices of adult Passiflora edulis (AGBP accession 38).