Physiological responses by Billbergia zebrina (Bromeliaceae) when grown under controlled microenvironmental conditions

Abstract

Sucrose, the most commonly used carbon source in conventional in vitro culture, and limited air exchange in the culture containers are factors that affect the growth of in vitro-cultured plants. They may induce physiological disorders and decrease the survival rate of plants after transfer to ex vitro conditions. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of gas exchange and sucrose concentration on Billbergia zebrina plantlets during in vitro propagation. In vitro-established B. zebrina plantlets were transferred to culture media containing 0, 15, 30, 45, or 60 g L-1 sucrose. Two different culture-container sealing systems were compared: lids with a filter (permitting gas exchange) and lids with no filter (blocking fluent gas exchange). Carbohydrate and chlorophyll (Chl a+b) concentrations were analyzed in plantlets at 45-days of culture. The addition of sucrose to the medium reduced the Chl a+b concentration in the plantlets. On the other hand, additional sucrose had a positive effect on the carbohydrate stock formation of the plantlets. The results showed that a photoautotrophic system (air exchange and a sugar-free medium) improves the in vitro propagation of B. zebrina without creating physiological disorders.

Modulation of the anatomical and physiological responses of in vitro grown Alcantarea imperialis induced by NAA and residual effects of BAP

“…Similar results have been verified in the bromeliad A. blanchetiana (Martins et al, 2018b). The chlorophyll (Chl) content is usually correlated to photosynthetic apparatus efficiency of in vitro plants (Martins et al, 2016;Martins et al, 2020). A pronounced decrease in Chl content may correspond to pronounced impairment of photosystem II (PSII) function (Janečková et al, 2019).…”

“…Anatomical studies can be used to assess the effect of in vitro conditions on the success of the transfer to ex vitro conditions (Martins et al, 2016;Martins et al, 2018aMartins et al, , 2018bFaria et al, 2018). Analyses of photosynthetic pigment content are also useful to verify the physiological status of plants (Martins et al, 2018b;Janečková et al, 2019).…”

Morphophysiological responses of Billbergia zebrina Lindl. (Bromeliaceae) in function of types and concentrations of carbohydrates during conventional in vitro culture

“…Each carbohydrate has a distinct function, and can have a different influence depending on the species of plant studied. Martins et al (2016b) observed that the ornamental bromeliad B. zebrina, when grown in vitro, could release the enzyme invertase in the culture medium to cleave sucrose into fructose and glucose, and that this cleavage reduces the hydric potential of the culture medium. In this study, the quantification of carbohydrates showed that these monosaccharides were accumulated in the roots and aerial part.…”

“…The supply of exogenous carbohydrate, besides improving the in vitro photosynthetic performance of some plants, also may enhance the ex vitro acclimatization process (Badr et al, 2015;Lembrechts et al, 2017). This is caused by the increase in the stock of endogenous carbohydrates such as starch, sucrose, fructose and glucose, which are used as energy sources by micropropagated plants (Badr et al, 2015;Martins et al, 2016b).…”

“…The carbohydrates used during in vitro culture may affect both the morphology/anatomy and physiology of bromeliads (Martins et al, 2015c;Martins et al, 2016aMartins et al, , 2016b. Anatomical analysis of micropropagated plants is an excellent tool to ascertain how the in vitro conditions can affect the success of all the micropropagation stages, including transfer to ex vitro conditions (Martins et al, 2015c;Eburneo et al, 2017).…”