Cryopreservation of plant germplasm in Argentina

Abstract

This review describes the current status of development of methods for cryopreservation (at -196ºC) of plants germplasm in Argentina. Arachis pintoi, a forage legume, has been maintained as seeds using vitrification method. Additionally, apical meristems, shoot tips, and somatic embryos have been cryopreserved using encapsulation-dehydration. Zygotic embryos, encapsulated and dehydrated, have permitted the cryopreservation of seven species of the genus Ilex. Various explants (apical meristems, uninodal segments, buds and somatic embryos) of Melia azedarach have been cryopreserved using the encapsulation-dehydration method. Protocols based in encapsulation-dehydration have also been developed for shoot tips of Citrus sinensis, seeds and protocorms of Oncidum bifolium and anthers of Oryza sativa. Vitrification protocols have been developed forcryopreservation of shoot tips of Solanum tuberosum and seeds of Toona ciliata.