Polyphenols distributions and reserve substances analysis in cacao somatic embryogenesis

• Published in: Acta biológica colombiana Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 335 - 345
• Main Authors: Adriana María Gallego Rúa, Ana María Henao Ramírez, Aura Inés Urrea Trujillo, Lucía Atehortúa Garcés
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia 01-05-2016
• Subjects: acumulación de reservas; antioxidantes; antioxidants; embriogénesis somática; histology; histología; recalcitrance; recalcitrancia; reserve accumulation; somatic embryogenesis
• ISSN: 0120-548X; 1900-1649
• DOI: 10.15446/abc.v21n2.50196

In order to understand the causes of lack of regeneration in cacao somatic embryos, two cacao varieties with different responses to regeneration potential were described based on their capacity to store different compounds. It is well known that seed reserves play a central role in the regenerative capability of somatic embryos; thus, we followed histochemical changes and reserve fluctuations of proteins, polysaccharides and polyphenols during somatic embryogenesis (SE) in the two cacao varieties. The study showed that, in somatic embryos of the regenerating variety, polyphenols were localized mainly in the periphery of the embryo (epidermal cells) and proteins were the main storage substance in the embryo expression medium, while the non-regenerating variety had a high presence of polysaccharides with random distribution of polyphenols at the end of the embryo induction step.