BUPLEURUM SPP. IN CENTRAL PORTUGAL: IN VITRO PROPAGATION AND SECRETORY DUCTS

The genus Bupleurum shows great diversity in the Mediterranean region.
Some species produce secondary metabolites with biological activity and commercial value.
Despite the great biodiversity of this genus in Portugal very few studies have been performed.
This work aims to develop in vitro protocols of propagation for B. rigidum subsp. paniculatum, B. fruticosum and B. gerardi and characterize their secretory ducts by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.
In vitro cultures were established for the first time in B. rigidum subsp. paniculatum and B. gerardi. For B. rigidum subsp. paniculatum zygotic embryos were germinated on hormone-free half-strength MS medium, while for B. gerardi, mature seeds were used and germinated in the same culture medium used for B. rigidum. Interestingly, in the last one, in vitro flowering was observed in apical segments after 3 weeks of culture in MS medium, with and without benzylaminopurine.
For B. fruticosum the culture of nodal segments in MS medium plus 1.0 mg L^-1 indole-3-acetic acid and 1.5 mg L^-1 BAP gave the best shoot multiplication results.
The rooting of this species was achieved after two weeks of culture in MS medium plus 1.0 mg L^-1 indole-3-butyric acid and two week culture in a hormone free medium.
Histochemical tests allowed the identification of terpenic compounds in the secretory ducts of in vitro propagated plants of B. rigidum subsp. paniculatum, B. fruticosum and B. gerardi proving that essential oil production occurs in early stages of development.

VIII International Symposium on In Vitro Culture and Horticultural Breeding

P. Correia, J.M. Canhoto, M. Zuzarte, L. Salgueiro

Bupleurum gerardi, Bupleurum fruticosum, Bupleurum rigidum subsp. paniculatum, shoot proliferation, terpenes

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1083.69