Evaluation of pregerminative treatments of hay (Tillandsia usneoides L.) under in vitro conditions

Abstract

Tillansia usneoides L., commonly known as “Spanish moss” is a plant with an epiphytic growth habit, it is found within the atmospheric type bromeliads that comprise small plants whose leaves are densely covered with trichomes; They are slow to reproduce and slow to grow, often obtained from illegal extraction from the wild. Therefore, the objective of this study is to observe the in vitro propagation of Tillandsia usneoides L., 12 pregerminative treatments were evaluated: (T1) room temperature, (T2) soaking for 12 hours, (T3) TDZ 0.22 mg·L⁻¹, ( T4 and T5) potassium nitrate 0.1% and 0.2%, (T6 and T7) gibberellins 50 mg·L⁻¹ and 150 mg·L⁻¹, (T8 and T9) hydrogen peroxide 10% and 20%, (T10 and T11 ) chitosan 250 mg·L⁻¹ and 500 mg·L⁻¹ and (T12) 2,4-D 0.22 mg·L⁻¹. The seeds were established in deionized water and Deiman® agar, 5.5 g L⁻¹, pH 5.5. The analysis of variance (p ≤ 0.05%) did not show significant statistical differences. The treatment with the highest number of seeds that started the germination process and the highest number of plants was gibberellin 50 mg·L⁻¹. The greatest contamination was observed in the 0.1% potassium nitrate treatment.