Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lauric acid improves the growth of zygotic coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) embryos in vitro

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coconuts (Cocos nucifera L.) germinating in situ make use of both sucrose and fatty acids, notably lauric acid, as sources of energy and carbon, but current tissue culture methods routinely include only sucrose in the culture medium. The aim of the experiments was to establish whether lauric acid could improve the growth and development of zygotic coconut embryos in culture. The culture medium of zygotic embryos was adjusted to give various concentrations of sucrose and lauric acid. The concentration of free lauric acid was increased at specific times of the culture. At the end of the experiments, plantlet growth was measured. Added at day zero, lauric acid inhibited germination. Added at 60 or 75 days, lauric acid (75 μM, unbound concentration) showed a marked stimulation of plantlet growth and development. When 14C-labelled lauric acid was used, radioactivity was incorporated mainly into longer chain fatty acids of complex lipids, notably of the phospholipid fraction. Supplementation at these times may mimic conditions in situ and suggests that the supply of fatty acids may represent a physiological requirement for continued growth. The experiments with radioactive lauric acid confirm that it provides carbon for the synthesis of new structural lipids. The method may provide a means of improving the development of coconut somatic embryos in future.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CoA:

Coenzyme A

LSD:

Least significant difference

SEM:

Standard error of the mean

TCA cycle:

Tricarboxylic acid cycle (Krebs citric acid cycle)

TLC:

Thin layer chromatography

References

  • Assy-Bah B (1986) In vitro culture of coconut zygotic embryos. Oléagineux 41:321–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Assy-Bah B, Durand-Gasselin T, Engelmann F, Pannetier C (1989) The in vitro culture of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) zygotic embryos. Revised and simplified method for obtaining coconut plantlets suitable for transfer to the field. Oléagineux 44:515–523

    Google Scholar 

  • Balachandran C, Arumughan C (1995a) Biochemical and cytochemical transformations in germinating coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn). J Agric Food Chem 72:1385–1391

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Balachandran C, Arumughan C (1995b) Triglyceride deposition of germinating coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn). J Am Oil Chem Soc 72:647–651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Balasubramaniam K, Atokorala TMS, Wijesundera S, Hoover AA (1973) Biochemical changes during germination of coconut (Cocos nucifera). Ann Bot 37:439–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake J, Eeuwens CJ (1982) Somatic embryogenesis in coconut. In: Rao N (ed) Proceedings of COSTED symposium on tissue culture of economically important plants, vol 2. Committee of Science and Technology in Developing Countries (COSTED), Singapore, pp 145–148

    Google Scholar 

  • Blake J, Hornung R (1995) Somatic embryogenesis in coconut (Cocos nucifera L). In: Jain SM, Gupta PK, Newton RJ (eds) Somatic embryogenesis in woody plants, vol 2. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 327–340

    Google Scholar 

  • Bligh EG, Dyer WJ (1959) A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can J Biochem Physiol 37:911–917

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buffard-Morel J, Verdeil JL, Dusset S, Magnaval C, Huet C, Grosdemange F (1995) Initiation of somatic embryogenesis in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.). In: Oropeza C, Howard FW, Ashburner GR (eds) Lethal yellowing:research and practical aspects, vol 5. Kluwer, Netherlands, pp 217–223

    Google Scholar 

  • Child R (1974) Coconuts. Longman Group Ltd, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Christie WW (1989) Gas chromatography and lipids. The Oily Press, Ayr

    Google Scholar 

  • Davies HM (1983) Medium chain acyl-ACP hydrolysis activities of developing oilseeds. Phytochemistry 33:1353–1356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernando SC, Santha ES, Hewarathna DJA (2010) Activated coconut shell charcoal as a component of tissue culture media of Cocos nucifera L. J Natural Sci Foundation Sri Lanka 38:181–185

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haccius B, Philip VJ (1979) Embryo development in Cocos nucifera L.: a critical contribution to a general understanding of palm embryogenesis. Plant Syst Evol 132:91–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hornung R (1998) Progress towards the successful cloning of Cocos nucifera L. In: Topper PDS, Caligari PDS, Kullaya AK, Shomari SH, Kasuga LJ, Masawe PAL (eds) International cashew and coconut conference. BioHybrids International, Dar Es Salam

    Google Scholar 

  • Kates M (1986) Techniques in Lipidology. Isolation, analysis and identification of lipids. Elsevier Science Publishers BV, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Krishnankutty S, Mangala Kumari CK, Mathew AG (1990) Environmental changes and lipid metabolism of higher plants. J Food Sci Technol 27:302–303

    Google Scholar 

  • López-Villalobos A (2002) Roles of lipids in coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) embryogenesis. Ph D Thesis, University of London, London, UK

  • Lopez-Villalobos A, Hornung R, Dodds PF (2004) Hydrophobic metabolites of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) in cultured coconut tissue. Phytochemistry 65:2763–2774

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • López-Villalobos A, Dodds PF, Hornung R (2001) Changes in fatty acid composition during development of tissues of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) embryos in the intact nut and in vitro. J Exp Bot 52(358):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montero-Cortes M, Rodriguez-Paredes F, Burgeff C, Perez-Nunez T, Cordova I, Oropeza C, Verdeil JL, Saenz L (2010a) Characterisation of a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDKA) gene expressed during somatic embryogenesis of coconut palm. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 102:251–258

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montero-Cortes M, Saenz L, Cordova I, Quiroz A, Verdeil JL, Oropeza C (2010b) GA(3) stimulates the formation and germination of somatic embryos and the expression of a KNOTTED-like homeobox gene of Cocos nucifera (L.). Plant Cell Rep 29:1049–1059

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Namasivayam P (2007) Acquisition of embryogenic competence during somatic embryogenesis. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 90:1–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perera PIP, Vidhanaarachchi VRM, Gunathilake TR, Yakandawala DMD, Hocher V, Verdeil JL, Weerakoon LK (2009a) Effect of plant growth regulators on ovary culture of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.). Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 99:73–81

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perera PIP, Yakandawala DMD, Hocher V, Verdeil JL, Weerakoon LK (2009b) Effect of growth regulators on microspore embryogenesis in coconut anthers. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 96:171–180

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Nuñez MT, Chan JL, Saenz L, Gonzalez T, Verdeil JL, Oropeza C (2006) Improved somatic embryogenesis from Cocos nucifera (L.) plumule explants. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol—Plant 42:37–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pérez-Nuñez MT, Souza R, Saenz L, Chan JL, Zuniga-Aguilar JJ, Oropeza C (2009) Detection of a SERK-like gene in coconut and analysis of its expression during the formation of embryogenic callus and somatic embryos. Plant Cell Rep 28:11–19

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds ES (1963) The use of lead citrate at high pH as electron opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 17:208–212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saenz L, Azpeitia A, Oropeza C, Jones LH, Fuchsova K, Spichal L, Strnad M (2010a) Endogenous cytokinins in Cocos nucifera L. in vitro cultures obtained from plumular explants. Plant Cell Rep 29:1227–1234

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saenz L, Herrera-Herrera G, Uicab-Ballote F, Chan JL, Oropeza C (2010b) Influence of form of activated charcoal on embryogenic callus formation in coconut (Cocos nucifera). Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 100:301–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Snedecor GW, Cochran WG (1989) Statistical methods. Iowa State University press, Ames

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugimura Y, Murakami T (1990) Structure and function of the haustorium in germinating palm seed. JARQ—Japan Agricul Res Q 24:1–14

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

AL-V received financial support from Consejo Nacional de Tecnología, Mexico and the Colegio de Postgraduados en Ciencias Agrícolas de México. We thank Mrs. S. Farris and the staff of the Plant Biotechnology Laboratories, Imperial College, Wye Campus for assistance with tissue culture, the late Mr C. Kempe for technical assistance and Miss S. Reardon for assistance with the electron microscopy.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agricultural Sciences, Imperial College London, Wye campus, Wye, Ashford, Kent, TN25 5AH, UK

    Arturo López-Villalobos, Peter F. Dodds & Roland Hornung

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, AB, Canada

    Arturo López-Villalobos

  3. Comprehensive Local Research Network, Preston Hall, Aylesford, Kent, ME20 7NJ, UK

    Peter F. Dodds

  4. Selecta Klemm GmbH & Co. KG, Hanfäcker 10, 70378, Stuttgart, Germany

    Roland Hornung

Authors
  1. Arturo López-Villalobos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter F. Dodds
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Roland Hornung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter F. Dodds.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

López-Villalobos, A., Dodds, P.F. & Hornung, R. Lauric acid improves the growth of zygotic coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) embryos in vitro. Plant Cell Tiss Organ Cult 106, 317–327 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-011-9924-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-011-9924-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation