In vitro seed germination and calli induction in seedlings, cotyledons and anthers of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Stand.) - Cucurbitaceae

The bottle gourd has economial importance for small and medium farms and great potential for industrial applications. Different strategies were tested for the in vitro seed germination, as luminosity, scarification, imbibition and addition of ANA (naftalenoacetic acid) and 2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) on the culture medium. Later on, nodal segments and shoot tips were cultivated on medium supplemented with Fuji vitamins and cotyledonary explants cultivated in different concentrations of BAP (6-Benzylaminopurine) and ANA. For the calli induction, anthers were cultivated on medium contending 2,4-D and BAP. The germination of bottle gourd seeds occurred in the light and in the darkness, indicating neutral photoblastism. The scarification and the imbibition of whole seeds (seeds with tegument) did not facilitate the germination, in none of the treatments. ANA and 2,4-D in the variation of 0.12-1.0 mg.L-1 do not allow the in vitro germination of whole seeds on the culture medium. ANA and 2,4-D in the concentrations of 0.5 mg.L-1 and 0.25 mg.L-1, respectively, increased the in in vitro germination of nude seeds (seeds without tegument) of bottle gourd. The supplementation with Fuji vitamins allows the calli formation, mainly in the nodal segments. The calli formation in anthers (obtained from floral buttons contends 0.9 cm length) occurs on MS culture medium supplemented with 0.5 and 1.0 mg.L-1 of 2,4-D and BAP