2,4-D, Silver nitrate, and acetylsalicylic acid influence on the in vitro culture of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) anthers

Abstract

The literature shows that the Coffea arabica anther culture studies have had little progress. The objective of this work was to test this technique in two cultivars of Coffea arabica L. to induce the formation of calluses and pro-embryos. The experiments were carried out at the Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory at the Federal University of Uberlandia, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. 4.5 to 6.0 mm long flower buds from the ‘Mundo Novo' and ‘Catuaí Vermelho 44' cultivars were collected, sterilized and the anthers inoculated in a Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2,4-D (2 mg.L-) with or without 5 mg.L- of silver nitrate and acetylsalicylic acid (0.0, 8.0, 6.0, 32.0, and 64.0 mg.L-). After innoculation, the explants were maintained without light, under controlled temperature. At 60 days of in vitro culture, the anthers with callus were observed with a stereo microscope to search for proembryos. Color, texture and diameter of the calluses were also evaluated. 2,4-D was found to be efficient in inducing callus formation; however silver nitrate and acetylsalicylic acid at the concentrations used were not efficient in pro-embryos regeneration in anthers of the cultivars studied. ‘Catuaí Vermelho' was the most responsive cultivar to androgenesis when compared with ‘Mundo Novo'. Additional keywords: Auxins, androgenesis, pro-embryos.