Abstract
In vitro culture is an efficient tool for the propagation of plants of ecological and economic importance and allows the understanding about ecophysiological aspects of the species. The objective of this study was to assess the influence of different macronutrient concentrations on in vitro development and ex vitro survival of Vriesea incurvata plantlets, aiming the conservation of this endemic epiphytic bromeliad from the Atlantic Forest. The in vitro germination was assessed at 60 days and the plantlets were cultivated for 180 days on MS medium with 25 or 50% of the macronutrients, 25 or 50% of the nitrogen salts, or with 100% of the original formulation of the medium. The seeds showed 95% germination. In all treatments, there was 100% survival of in vitro cultivated plantlets. The reduction of all macronutrients or of the nitrogen salts was beneficial, and permitted a greater length of the aerial part and of the major root, a higher number of leaves and roots, and more fresh mass, as well as allowed 97% survival of ex vitro acclimatized plantlets. The obtained data allow the establishment of a protocol for in vitro propagation of V. incurvata, aiming its future reintroduction into the natural habitat.
Key words:
bromeliads; conservation; micropropagation; mineral nutrition
