In vitro conservation of Passiflora-A review

The genus Passiflora (family Passifloraceae) occurs mainly in tropical regions. Brazil is considered the most important diversity center of the genus and is also the major producer of passion fruit. Besides the agronomical use, some of Passiflora species are widely cultivated due to the ornamental value of their flowers. In addition, different species are used in folk medicine, being considered as official drugs in Pharmacopeias of American and European countries. Conservation of Passiflora germplasm is usually carried out in seed banks or as live plants. However, seed renewal can be impaired by loss of germinative potential or specific seed characteristics. Therefore, complementary in vitro methodologies represent an important tool for ex situ conservation of Passiflora germplasm. In this work, we analyze the state of art of plant propagation and the use of in vitro conservation methodologies for Passiflora species.