Preliminary study of micropropagation of Camellia sinensis L. from nodal segments

Abstract

Micropropagation is currently the most efficient technique for the propagation of Camellia sinensis L. (tea). Whereas this technique has not yet been adopted for the genotypes of tea grown in the Ribeira Valle, this study aims to evaluate whether the protocol BAG et al. (1997) can be applied to the three genotypes of economic importance in the region. To this end, nodal segments will be collected in mother plants, sterilized and in inoculated in MS culture medium ½ MS and ½ MS containing 1.12 mg l-1 BAP and 0.2 mg l-1 NAA. Subsequently, the plant material will be transferred to MS medium and MS medium containing 2.25 mg l-1 BAP and 0.2 mg l-1 IBA, initiating the phase of multiplication. Will be held five subcultures, each terminated with the isolation and reinoculção shoots in multiplication medium. In roots, the culture medium will be ½ MS and ½ MS containing 3.6 mg l-1 NAA and 4.6 pH. At all stages, the explants are kept in growth chambers BOD at 25°C, relative humidity of 80% and photoperiod of 12 hours. The experimental design is completely randomized in a factorial scheme 3 x 2, three genotypes and two culture media (MS medium and MS medium containing growth regulators). The establishment will start with ten nodal segments of each genotype, the subcultures 1 and 2, with all explants obtained in the multiplication, and the subcultures 3, 4 and 5, a maximum of twenty randomly chosen explants for each genotype. Losses will be assessed for contamination and oxidation rates of multiplication and cumulative absolute and the rate of rooting. Expected to determine whether the protocol used is appropriate, yield and whether there are genotypic differences, as well as the most significant problems.