In vitro culture of Rio Grande cherry (Eugenia involucrata DC.)

The Rio Grande cherry (RGC) (Eugenia involucrata DC.) is a native fruit species from the Atlantic Forest, in Brazil. The fruits from RGC show high potential for fresh consumption and industrial processing, besides their medicinal properties. The cultivation of RGC can also presents afforestation and reforestation purposes. This species is usually propagated by seed, but challenges with this method have been reported, such as low seed viability after storage and limited seed availability throughout the year. To develop a different propagation protocol and facilitate propagation for this species, we evaluated the response of in vitro cultivated RGC using nodal explants from aseptic in vitro germinated seedlings. We evaluated the effects of nine culture media compositions (MS, ½ MS, ¼ MS, WPM, ½ WPM, ¼ WPM, JADS, SP and modified SP); combinations of plant growth regulators, 6-benzylaminapurine (BAP; 0.0; 4.4; 11.1 and 22.2 µM) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA; 0.0 and 0.5 µM); and different substrates for plant acclimatization. The use of JADS medium supplemented with 11.1 µM BAP for in vitro bud initial induction followed by subculture of in vitro obtained shoots in JADS supplemented with 4.4 µM BAP were indicated in the multiplication process. JADS medium without plant growth regulators was superior for shoot development and rooting formation. Plants were acclimated with the use a combination of commercial potting with vermiculite. Therefore, a robust protocol for the in vitro establishment, multiplication and acclimation of this native fruit species was obtained. An efficient micropropagation protocol from juvenile tissue explants of Rio Grande cherry tree (Eugenia involucrata DC.), a native fruit tree from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, was developed.