Micropropagation can be a viable technique for the multiplication of olive trees. The objective of this work was to induce multiplication in explants of olive tree. Nodal segments with 2 cm length, without leaves, derived from in vitro plantlets of cultivar Ascolano 315 were excised and inoculated in test tubes. The tubes contained 15 mL of OM (Olive medium) culture medium supplemented with 2 g L-1 of activated charcoal, 4 concentrations of 6-benzilaminopurin (BAP) and 4 concentrations of coconut water and solidified with 5.5 g L-1 of agar. The pH was adjusted to 5.8 before medium sterilization at 121ºC and 1 atm for 20 min. The experimental design was complete randomized in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme. The explants were kept in a growth room 25±1ºC, light intensity of 32 ì mol m-2 s-1 and photoperiod of 16 hours, for 70 days. The culture medium OM added of 1.0 mg L-1 of BAP and 100 mL L-1 of coconut water provided the greatest length and biomass of the aerial part. The largest number of roots was obtained with 0.5 mg L-1 of BAP associated with 25 mL L-1 of coconut water.
in vitro culture; coconut water; benzilaminopurin; Olea europaea
