The search for cultivars more adapted that assist the effective demand requires that the genetic resources of plant species are obtained easily. In order to evaluate a protocol for cryopreservation of embryonic axes of cotton, an experiment was carried out using seeds of the cultivars BRS 200 and BRS 201, which were extracted from embryonic axes and subjected to drying for 0, 30, 60 and 90 min and to the cryopreservation, directly plunged into liquid nitrogen (-196 °C), during 0, 5, 30 and 60 days. The regrowth of the embryonic axis was accomplished for each storage period, after its removal and thawing at room temperature conditions for 60 min, being cultivated in MS medium and kept in the incubator room at temperature of 25 °C, photoperiod of 16/8 h (light/dark) and light intensity of 30 /vmol m-2 s-1. After 30 days of cultivation, evaluations of the regeneration, seedling length and number of roots were accomplished. Embryonic axes of cotton, with moisture content around 9,7%, can be conserved in germoplasma banks in cryogenic conditions and to regenerate more than 80% of plantlets in vitro after 60 days of storage in liquid nitrogen (-196 °C).
genetic resource; drying; storage; regeneration
