A regenerative route for Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae) through in vitro germination and micropropagation

Eugenia uniflora is a tree species native from Central and South America, largely employed in the popular medicine, in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries and also consumed in natura. Aiming to provide plant material with high sanity and genetic uniformity for the establishment of commercial plantations, we developed a protocol for seeds disinfestation, in vitro germination and in vitro propagation of this species through organogenesis. Fruits of E. uniflora were obtained from wild trees growing in the Pampa biome, Southern Brazil. Seeds were disinfested using ethanol 70% (10 min) and NaOCl 1.25% (10 or 25 min). Shoot apexes and nodal segments of non-contaminated plantlets were cultivated in verification medium AS(30) during 20 days, posteriorly in 1/2MS medium supplemented with sucrose, IBA and BAP during 45 days and acclimatized in greenhouse. Disinfesting seeds with ethanol 70% (10 min) and NaOCl 1.25% (25 mm) allowed germination with significantly lower contamination (2.0%) and production of healthy explants for the micropropagation. No difference concerning size and contamination was observed for the propagation using shoot apexes or nodal segments as explant. Acclimatized plants revealed normal phenotype and healthy appearance. This regenerative route can be applied for mass clonal propagation from seeds of cross-pollinated or self-pollinated selected trees aiming the establishment of commercial plantations of E. uniflora and other Myrtaceae species.