Tropical flowers have contributed to the growth of the cut flower market in Brazil, especially plants of the genus Heliconia. Heliconias are usually propagated vegetatively, although this method can spread diseases and in the near future may severely comprise commercial flower production. In vitro cultivation represents an important potential alternative for guaranteeing the production of high-quality heliconia planting stocks. However, the micropropagation of these plants using stalk apices faces severe problems of endophytic contamination, making it difficult the supply of enough explants. Therefore, alternative techniques for the in vitro production of planting stock were investigated using other explant tissues to induce somatic embryogenesis. Zygotic embryos from immature and mature fruits of H. bihai (L.) L. cv. Lobster Claw Two were cultured in combinations of IAA (0; 5.70, e 11.41 µm L-1) and 2,4-D (0; 22.62; 45.24; 67.86 e 90.48 µm L-1) to induce somatic embryos during 90 days of culture. Histological analyses showed that somatic embryos were formed only with zygotic embryos derived from mature fruits cultivated in the absence of growth regulators.
In vitro culture; callogenesis; growth regulator; histological
