In vitro REGENERATION OF MEXICAN BAY (Litsea glaucescens Kunth) THROUGH SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS

Abstract

Mexican bay (Litsea glaucescens) is one of the most important non-timber forest species in México due to its use as a condiment and its medicinal
properties. This has caused the overexploitation of the populations of the species, which, together with the degradation of its habitat, has put in danger of extinction. In this work the development of an in vitro regeneration system for this species through indirect somatic embryogenesis is reported. The initial explants were mature zygotic embryos, from which embryogenic callus was generated on Murashige & Skoog culture medium, pH 5.7, with 30 g L^-1 sucrose and 8 g L^-1 agar, added with 4 g L^-1 activated charcoal or 1 mg L^-1 benzyladenine. The later was the best treatment and 29 % of the inoculated explants generated embryogenic tissue. Differentiation of somatic embryos was observed on culture medium with 4 g L^-1 of activated charcoal, showing an average production of 282 somatic embryos per gram of embryogenic tissue. Maturation and germination of somatic embryos was more efficient (27 %) on basal medium with 6 g L^-1 of activated charcoal and 12 g L^-1 agar. The conversion of germinated embryos int∫o seedlings was achieved on 50 % basal medium with 8 g L^-1 agar, with an efficiency of 87 %. Finally, 76 % of the plants generated via somatic embryogenesis survived and resumed growth in soil.