A micropropagação de Eucalipto

Abstract

The Eucalyptus is the genus that has the highest number of researchs in micropropagation. However, there are few effective results obtained with their continuous proliferation. Micropropagation includes disinfection and culture of explants in nutrient medium and aseptic conditions, multiplication in successive subcultures and in vitro or ex vitro rooting. As advantages, the micropropagation allows: high yield per donor plant, free-virus plants, production of saplings at any time of the year, intensive production of healthy saplings in a short period of time and in a limited space, cloning of plants difficult-to-propagate by conventional methods, such as cutting and minicutting, and donor plant preservation without risk of infection. Its disadvantages include the dependence on a tissue culture laboratory, which results in high maintenance costs, as well as the requirement of highly trained workers, high possibility of contamination, variation of conditions within and among clones, the difficulty of finding appropriate culture medium for the species desired and possibility of mutation as a result of the use of growth regulators. Despite having high cost when compared to other cloning methods, the species and hybrids of eucalypt micropropagation is strategic to maintain superior plant material in vitro or to supply the micro-clonal hedge