In vitro establishment and oxidation control of nodal segments of Arrabidaea chica Verlot

Abstract

Arrabidaea chica belongs to the Bignoniaceae family, popularly known as Bija or “Tooth cleaner”. It is one of the most used dyeing plants in the artisanal industry of the Colombian Caribbean region. In the department of Sucre, it is used by artisans for dyeing arrow cane; however, it has been affected by a high risk of genetic erosion, therefore it is necessary to establish methods for massive propagation and conservation. The objective of this research was to implement a protocol for the in vitro establishment and oxidation control of nodal segments of A. chica using different concentrations of sodium hypochlorite (0%, 2.5% and 5.0%) and immersed during 5, 10, and 15 minutes during explants disinfection. The explants were then planted in Murashige & Skoog medium. To control oxidation, the MS culture media were supplemented with ascorbic acid (0.15 g L-1) and citric acid (0.1 g L-1), alone and/or in combination. The different treatments were incubated at 28 °C, photoperiod of 12/12 hours day/night and illumination of 45 µmol m-2 S-1. The results indicated that sodium hypochlorite was effective for disinfection at 2.5% in 5 minutes. The combination of ascorbic acid with citric acid in the medium influenced the oxidation of the explants. Therefore, disinfection with sodium hypochlorite and the incorporation of ascorbic acid (0.15 mg L-1) and citric acid (0.1 mg L-1) in the culture medium provide good conditions for the control of in vitro oxidation of explants of Bija.

Keywords

• dyeing plant
• artisanal
• establishment
• conservation