Shoot Organogenesis and Plantlet Regeneration from Stem Explants of Cleome rosea Vahl (Capparaceae)

The medicinal value of the genus Cleome justifies bio-technological studies of Cleome rosea, a Brazilian annual species from sandy coastal ecosystems (restinga), which have been submitted to an intense process of antropogenic degradation. In the present work, was analyzed the influence of cytokinins, 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 6-furfurylaminopurine (kinetin) added to the Murashige and Skoog medium (MS), on the proliferation capacity of explants from the stem axis (hypocotyl, node and internode) for a period of five monthly subcultures (150 days). Regardless of the explant sources, plantlet regeneration by direct and indirect organogenesis was observed. The largest number of shoots proliferated through direct organogenesis was obtained on medium with 4.4 $\mu{M}$ BA. Also, the highest proliferation capacity through indirect organogenesis was found on medium with 4.4 $\mu{M}$ BA + 4.6 $\mu{M}$ kinetin. The presence of kinetin alone was not effective for multiplication of the species. Elongation and rooting were obtained when shoots were transferred onto growth regulator-free medium, and acclimatization rates from 70% to 81% were achieved depending on explant sources used. Plants were then successfully established in soil and showed normal phenotypes.