TITLE:
Embryo Rescue via Artificial Seed Technique and Long-Term Preservation of Zephyranthes
AUTHORS:
Amir Ali Khoddamzadeh, Bruce L. Dunn
KEYWORDS:
Rain Lily, Synthetic Seed, Cryopreservation, Encapsulation, Ornamental Landscape, Zephyranthes atamasc, Zephyranthes grandiflora
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.13 No.11,
November
22,
2022
ABSTRACT: Zephyranthes is valued as a native
ornamental landscaping plant and a traditional medicinal herb. Due to the low
seed viability, this study was carried out to evaluate the potential of seed
embryo rescue using the artificial seed technique and long-preservation in Z.
atamasca and Z. grandiflora. Seed embryos were selected for encapsulation
with different concentration of sodium alginate (3%, 4%, and 5%) and calcium
chloride (either 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM) followed by no encapsulated embryos as
a control. The greatest viability of encapsulated embryos was 95% in Z.
grandiflora and 85% in Z. atamasca with the combination of 4% sodium
alginate and 100 mM calcium chloride after two weeks at 5°C. The highest viability with A490nm0.12 and A490nm0.16
were achieved when embryos were cultured in pretreatment medium with 30 g/L
sucrose in Z. grandiflora and Z. atamasca, respectively. The highest viability by TTC assay after
cryopreservation was observed with 54% viability for Z. grandiflora and
48% viability with Z. atamasca, after 2 h of dehydration. Rain lilies embryos were successfully preserved
functioned as artificial seed and cryopreservation using
encapsulation-dehydration method has been established for both species that can
be used for other flower species with some modifications.