Comparison of three in vitro protocols for direct somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration of <i>Coffea arabica l. cvs.</i> Caturra and Catuaí

Abstract

A coffee (Coffea arabica L. cvs. Caturra and Catuaí) plant regeneration protocol via direct somatic embryogenesis was established. Vitroplant explants from first and second pair of leaves and explants from the distal, middle, and basal sections of 3 and 12 month-old plants were cultivated on the protocols described by Yasuda, Hatanaka and CATIE. Caturra somatic embryos were cultured on the same embryo induction media or DEV medium. The maximum number of somatic embryos (2.71±0.45) was obtained from Caturra vitroplants. Explants from 3 month-old plants showed better response than 12 month-old Caturra explants. No somatic embryos were obtained in the in vitro protocols evaluated with 12 month-old Catuaí rojo plants. No differences were observed on the number of embryos produced from the first and second pair of vitroplant leaves and sections of the distal, middle, and basal coffee plant leaves. The Yasuda protocol was the most efficient to induce direct somatic embryogenesis and embryo-toplant conversion for the Caturra variety, whereas Hatanaka's was the most suitable for the Catuaí variety.