Establishment of an efficient standardization method of in vitro germination of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae)

Background and Aims: Moringa oleifera is a source of phytochemicals with potential applications in medicine. The medicinal use of its leaves is recognized worldwide, to which the presence of functional bioactive compounds is attributed. This work aimed to standardize a protocol for in vitro germination of M. oleifera in temporary immersion bioreactors, using different culture media. Methods: The seeds were sown with and without seed coat, in liquid basal media composed of water (control) and salts of Murashige and Skoog (MS) in their original concentration or diluted to 50% and 25%, with 0, 15 and 30 g l(-)(1) sucrose. Germination percentage, indicators of vigor and growth in seedlings were evaluated. Key results: In seeds with seed coat, 23.33 +/- 5.77% germination was obtained in a single treatment, without being able to evaluate the proposed parameters. These results were complemented with the tetrazolium viability test of the ungerminated seeds, registering a 34.16 +/- 18.73% viability. The removal of the seed coat and liquid culture medium favored germination. The highest percentage of germination, germination capacity and coefficient of uniformity, as well as greater leaf development, ratio of aerial and root biomass, increase of dry weight of plant material per unit of time, and the accumulation of dry matter, were obtained with MS as a basal medium. Conclusions: For the standardization of germination in vitro of Moringa oleifera it is recommended to remove the seed coat and to use MS as a basal medium, since they accelerate the process and make it possible to obtain seedlings that can be used for experiments of indirect and/or direct regeneration for a massive escalation of germplasm.