In vitro cultivation of zygotic embryos from Murici (Byrsonima cydoniifolia A. Juss.): establishment, disinfection, and germination

The objective of this study is to establish an in vitro germination and cultivation protocol for murici (Byrsonima cydoniifolia A. Juss.) using zygotic embryos. Therefore, three assays were performed: in assay I, embryo asepsis was tested at exposure times of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes in 2.5% sodium hypochlorite, with or without immersion in 70% alcohol; in assay II, MS (MURASHIGE; SKOOG, 1962) e WPM (LLOYD; McCOWN, 1980) culture media were tested at salt concentrations of 25, 50, and 100%, with or without the addition of sucrose, to germinate the buds; in assay III, seedling growth was evaluated in MS and WPM culture media at salt concentrations of 25, 50 and 100%. Sodium hypochlorite (2.5%) with or without 70% alcohol was used to avoid contamination because it was not toxic to murici embryos. Water-agar was the most appropriate culture medium for bud germination, and 50% WPM was appropriate for seedling growth.