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Title: Cryopreservation of Citrus seeds via dehydration and direct immersion in liquid nitrogen

Author
item ALDEMIR, GIZEM - Desiderio Finamore Veterinary Research Institute (FEPAGRO)
item KAYA, ERGUN - Desiderio Finamore Veterinary Research Institute (FEPAGRO)
item YILMAZ-GOKDOGAN, EMEL - Desiderio Finamore Veterinary Research Institute (FEPAGRO)
item VIDIGAL DUARTE SOUZA, FERNANDA - Embrapa
item Jenderek, Maria

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/9/2015
Publication Date: 5/30/2015
Citation: Aldemir, G., Kaya, E., Yilmaz-Gokdogan, E., Vidigal Duarte Souza, F., Jenderek, M.M. 2015. Cryopreservation of Citrus seeds via dehydration and direct immersion in liquid nitrogen. Meeting Abstract. pp. 51. Society for In Vitro Biology, Tucson, AZ. May 30 - June 6, 2015.

Interpretive Summary: Citrus germplasm is conventionally conserved in clonal orchards and greenhouses, where it is subjected to potential losses due to pests, diseases and climatic hazards. In recent years, many studies reported preservation of germplasm in the genus Citrus. As a result, effective freezing protocols have been described for various organs and tissues such as shoot tips, seeds, embryonic axes, somatic embryos, ovules, embryogenic callus and nucellar cells. An important alternative for plant germplasm conservation is offered by biotechnology-based approaches as cryopreservation refers to the storage of plant material at ultra-low temperatures in liquid nitrogen. An effective cryopreservation procedure of seed dehydration and direct immersion in liquid nitrogen was developed for polyembryonic seeds of different Citrus cultivars from Turkey. Seed dehydration was performed at different exposure time, in the sterile air current of a laminar flow-hood. All cultivars showed the best adaptability to seed cryopreservation, after the seeds were appropriately dehydrated between 21.8% (Poncirus trifoliata Raf. x C. sinensis Osb.) and 17.6% (C. limonia Osb.). The highest post-freezing seed germination ranged from 73.3% (Poncirus trifoliata Raf. x C. sinensis Osb. and Fortunella margarita (Lour.) Swingle) to 93.3% (C. jambhiri Lush). All citrus cultivars benefited from the dehydration treatments in terms of germinability after cryopreservation, the cryopreserved seedlings had well-formed roots, and their acclimatization to in vivo conditions was easy.

Technical Abstract: Citrus germplasm is conventionally conserved in clonal orchards and greenhouses, where it is subjected to potential losses due to pests, diseases and climatic hazards. In recent years, many studies reported preservation of germplasm in the genus Citrus. As a result, effective freezing protocols have been described for various organs and tissues such as shoot tips, seeds, embryonic axes, somatic embryos, ovules, embryogenic callus and nucellar cells. An important alternative for plant germplasm conservation is offered by biotechnology-based approaches as cryopreservation refers to the storage of plant material at ultra-low temperatures in liquid nitrogen. An effective cryopreservation procedure of seed dehydration and direct immersion in liquid nitrogen was developed for polyembryonic seeds of different Citrus cultivars from Turkey. Seed dehydration was performed at different exposure time, in the sterile air current of a laminar flow-hood. All cultivars showed the best adaptability to seed cryopreservation, after the seeds were appropriately dehydrated between 21.8% (Poncirus trifoliata Raf. x C. sinensis Osb.) and 17.6% (C. limonia Osb.). The highest post-freezing seed germination ranged from 73.3% (Poncirus trifoliata Raf. x C. sinensis Osb. and Fortunella margarita (Lour.) Swingle) to 93.3% (C. jambhiri Lush). All citrus cultivars benefited from the dehydration treatments in terms of germinability after cryopreservation, the cryopreserved seedlings had well-formed roots, and their acclimatization to in vivo conditions was easy.