Seed Cryostorage Enhances Subsequent Plant Productivity in the Forage Species Teramnus Labialis (L.F.) Spreng

BACKGROUND

Teramnus labialis is an herbaceous legume that serves as a source of carbohydrates and proteins for animals and humans, and is valued for its nitrogen contribution to soil. The benefits of this species are, however, limited by low seed availability, small seed size and low in situ seed germination levels, due to physical dormancy. Cryostorage has been shown to be beneficial for both seed storage and breaking physical dormancy in seeds of various species. However, its potential effects on subsequent seedling emergence, plant growth and seed production need to be studied before large-scale implementation for T. labialis.

OBJECTIVE

To record agricultural traits of T. labialis after seed exposure to liquid nitrogen.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seeds were maintained at 5 degree C (control) or stored in LN before sowing. Seedling emergence percentage and traits related to plant growth and seed production were evaluated for 6 months.

RESULTS

Except for seed weight, all traits differed significantly between seedlings generated from cryostored and control seeds. Except for pod number, seedling emergence and plant growth traits were enhanced by cryostorage to a greater extent than seed production traits. Cryostorage resulted in cracks and breaks in the seed coat which were absent in control seeds (scanning electron microscopy), and in breaking physical dormancy may have facilitated more rapid seedling emergence than for control seeds.

CONCLUSION

Seed cryostorage enhances subsequent plant productivity in terms of growth and to a lesser extent seed production in Teramnus labialis, validating its use for commercial growth of this species.

Field Performance of Cryopreserved Seed-derived Maize Plants

BACKGROUND

Cryo-preservation of plant materials in liquid nitrogen (LN) has been described as a suitable technology to conserve genetic resources of several species. However, the potential effects of LN in the subsequent plant growth in the field should be studied before large-scale implementation of cryopreserved germplasm banks.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the field performance of cryopreserved seed-derived maize adult plants.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Germination percentage and numbers of leaves and ears per plant, internodes in stems, middle - aged leaf length, plant height, ear traits and weight of 100 seeds were recorded.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences between adult plants derived from cryopreserved seeds and the control treatment were not observed (t-test, p=0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results presented confirm at the phenotype level the effectiveness of maize seed cryostorage to preserve and regenerate true-to-type plants.

Field performance of sugarcane (Saccharum sp.) plants derived from cryopreserved calluses

This study compared the field performance of sugarcane plants originating from three different sources: control, non-cryopreserved embryogenic calluses, cryopreserved embryogenic calluses and macropropagated material of the same commercial hybrid. Several agronomic traits were evaluated on 100 plants per treatment over a 27-month period covering the growth of the stool and of the first ratoon. Significant differences between treatments were observed only during the first six months of field growth of sugarcane stools. Stems produced from in vitro cultured material, irrespective of their cryopreservation status, had a smaller diameter and a shorter height than those produced from macropropagated material. These differences disappeared by 12 months of stool field growth.