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Olive embryo in vitro germination potential: role of explant configuration and embryo structure among cultivars

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Abstract

The in vitro germination of excised embryos can break dormancy rapidly and shorten the time required to produce seedlings, speeding up olive breeding programmes as well as rootstock production. In this study, the in vitro germination potential of four Sicilian olive cultivars was evaluated during two years of experiments, using explants with three different morphological configurations that represent three different degrees of embryo exposure: (1) intact stoneless seeds containing the embryo, the endosperm and the seed coat (Emb+En+SC), (2) seeds without the seed coat (Emb+En) and (3) naked, isolated embryos (seed coat and endosperm both removed: Emb). Differences were found in the germination percentages and timing due to both genotype and explant type. The root and shoot meristems, the radicle-hypocotyl axis, the provascular tissues and embryo storage reserves were identified as embryo anatomical structures which could influence germination capacity. Observation of these structures, however, indicated similar germination potential among cultivars, suggesting possible differences in other dormancy factors. In spite of variation in cultivar performance, after 60 days of in vitro culture all cultivars demonstrated the highest germination of naked embryos (explant type 3) and lowest for stoneless seeds (explant type 1); stoneless seeds without the seedcoat (explant type 2) showed intermediate germination percentages.

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Abbreviations

Emb:

Naked embryos

Emb+En:

Embryos with seed coat removed but endosperm present

Emb+En+SC:

Intact seeds without the sclerified endocarp

TA-IC-SAF-FG:

Tannic acid, iron chloride, safranin and fast green

PAS-FG:

Periodic acid and Schiff’s with fast green counter-stain

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by the CORI (International Cooperation) 2006 program and by the project “Innovative Methods of propagation and Conservation of Mediterranean Trees”, FFR 2012–2013, provided by the University of Palermo to Maria Antonietta Germanà. The authors wish to thank Ester García-Cuevas of IAS-CSIC for excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale Delle Scienze, 11, 90128, Palermo, Italy

    Maria Antonietta Germanà & Benedetta Chiancone

  2. Instituto de Agricultura Sostenibile IAS-CSIC, Apdo. 4084, 14080, Cordoba, Spain

    Sofiene B. M. Hammami & Hava F. Rapoport

  3. Institut National Agronomique de Tunisie, Tunis, Tunisia

    Sofiene B. M. Hammami

Authors
  1. Maria Antonietta Germanà
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  2. Benedetta Chiancone
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  3. Sofiene B. M. Hammami
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  4. Hava F. Rapoport
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Correspondence to Maria Antonietta Germanà.

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Germanà, M.A., Chiancone, B., Hammami, S.B.M. et al. Olive embryo in vitro germination potential: role of explant configuration and embryo structure among cultivars. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 118, 409–417 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-014-0493-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-014-0493-5

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