Improvements in somatic embryogenesis protocol in Feijoa (Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret): Induction, conversion and synthetic seeds

Pineapple guava (Acca sellowiana) syn. Feijoa sellowiana, a Brazilian indigenous Myrtaceae is under domestication in South Brazil. Previous works showed that this species is responsive to somatic embryogenesis and recalcitrant to conventional methods of clonal propagation. In the present work it was evaluated the role of components of culture medium in the induction and development of somatic embryos. The technology of synthetic seeds was also evaluated. Zygotic embryos were inoculated in LPm medium supplemented with 8 mM glutamic acid and 8 mM l-glutamine, 2,4-dichlophenoxiacetic acid (20 μM) and myo-inositol. For conversion of somatic embryos and synthetic seeds it was tested the effect of 6-benzylaminopurine and gibberellic acid combined or not with activated charcoal. The highest values for embryogenetic induction (100%) and number of somatic embryos/explant (113) were observed in the LPm medium supplemented with Glu (8 mM), and 2,4-D. The culture medium supplemented with BA (0.5 μM) and GA3 (1 μM) and activated charcoal (1.5 g L−1) enhanced the conversion of somatic embryos to plantlets. Pre-germinated somatic embryos encapsulated in sodium alginate with BA (0.5 μM) and GA3 (1 μM) developed radicles. The use of synthetic seed was a requisite for the survival of plantlets.