Morphophysiology and polyamine content in seeds from cryopreserved capsules of two Vriesea species

• Published in: Acta physiologiae plantarum Vol. 44; no. 4
• Main Authors: Pradella, Elisandra Maria, de Souza, Priscila Fernandes, Dal Vesco, Lírio Luiz, Guerra, Miguel Pedro, Pescador, Rosete
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01-04-2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell death; Cryopreservation; Damage tolerance; Freezing; Germination; Life Sciences; Light microscopy; Moisture content; Optical microscopy; Original Article; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Biochemistry; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Pathology; Plant Physiology; Plasmolysis; Polyamines; Putrescine; Seedlings; Seeds; Species; Spermidine; Spermine; Vriesea; Water content; Cryogenic; Intracellular ice; Bromeliaceae; Polyamines; Water content
• ISSN: 0137-5881; 1861-1664
• DOI: 10.1007/s11738-022-03377-8

This study evaluated morphophysiological, and biochemical aspects of seeds of two bromeliad species,
Vriesea reitzii
and
Vriesea philippocoburgii
, after the cryopreservation of their capsules. The capsules were grouped according to the initial seeds moisture content, and stored at − 196 ºC (cryopreservation) and 4 ºC (non-cryopreservation). The seeds were then removed from the capsules and evaluated for germination, germination speed index (GSI) and formation of normal seedlings, in addition to a light microscopy analysis and the quantification of free polyamines.
V. reitzii
seeds with 29% of moisture content resulted in 65% of germination and higher GSI post-cryopreservation (30.4). Seeds with moisture contents of 41% and 55% did not germinate after cryopreservation and presented cellular alterations, such as vacuolation, vacuolar cell death and plasmolysis.
V. philippocoburgii
cryopreserved seeds presented a high germination rate (97%), not differing from non-cryopreserved seeds (99%). However, the percentage of normal seedlings obtained from cryopreserved seeds (73%) was lower than the percentage obtained from non-cryopreserved seeds (91%). There was an increase in the concentration of putrescine in cryopreserved seeds in the two species studied, probably associated with tolerance to damage resulting from exposure to freezing. Higher concentrations of spermidine and spermine were also found in
V. reitzii
seeds. Cryopreservation of capsules proved to be a viable alternative. However, it is recommended to desiccate the capsules or collect them at harvest maturation.