In vitro storage of sweet passion fruit seeds as an innovation conservation alternative

Abstract

Sweet passion fruit (Passifl ora alata Curtis) is a species native to Brazil that is economically important for fruit consumption and can also be used as an ornamental plant. The objective of this work was to evaluate different forms of storing Passifl ora alata seeds for the purpose of preserving accessions in germplasm banks. Three experiments were performed. In the fi rst, the seeds without aril were stored for two periods (one and three years) in plastic bags and in in vitro culture medium at two temperatures. In the second, the seeds with and without aril were stored for one year in plastic boxes and in vitro culture medium at two temperatures. In the third, the seeds were kept for two years in different in vitro culture media. The seeds quickly lost viability when stored for one year conventionally in a cold chamber with 25% emergence, but remained viable when were stored in vitro with 90% emergence. Therefore, the use of in vitro culture medium is an innovative way to preserve sweet passion fruit seeds at 25 o C. The seeds of the Passifl ora alata evaluated should be considered recalcitrant.