In vitro morphogenesis of Syngonanthus mucugensis Giul: subsp. mucugensis

Abstract

Syngonanthus mucugensis Giul. subsp. mucugensis is an herbaceous plant with significant economic value in the ornamental dry flower business. The restricted occurrence of the municipality Mucugê-BA, Brazil, exclusively associated with extractive exploitation, has considered this species as endangered. The objective of this work was to evaluate the organogenic potential of three different types of S. mucugensis subsp. mucugensis explants to promote the development of an alternative method to the propagation of the genetic resources of this important plant. The morphogenetic capacities of the leaf, stem and root this species was tested using Murashige and Skoog culture medium at half salt concentration and different concentrations of growth of regulators benzylaminopurine - BAP (0.00; 2.22 and 4.44 µM), and naphthalene acetic acid - NAA (0.00; 1.34 and 2.68 µM). The morphoanatomic events that lead to formation of shoots were described. Stems proved to be the best source of explants, showing 58.75% regeneration of shoot by direct organogenesis in the absence of growth regulators, and 32.18 and 47.55% of shoot regeneration by indirect organogenesis in the presence of 2.22 and 4.44 µM BAP, respectively. As for leaves, there was callus formation, but without regenerating shoots. Morphogenesis was not observed when roots were used as explants. The histological analyses showed that shoot regeneration in S. mucugensis subsp. mucugensis occurred both indirectly, by unorganized tissue differentiation, and directly through returning to merismatic activity in differentiated mature cells and preexisting bud proliferation.