Cryopreservation of embryonic axes of groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L.) by vitrification

Abstract

An efficient cryopreservation protocol was developed for groundnut embryonic axes using vitrification technique. Embryonic axes obtained from seeds of four groundnut genotypes were dehydrated in Plant Vitrification Solution (PVS2) solution for different durations (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h) before plunged into liquid nitrogen and held for 1 h. Survival and shoot formation of cryopreserved embryonic axes were significantly influenced by the dehydration duration with embryonic axes treated for 2 h recording the highest survival (70%) and shoot formation (65%). Among the groundnut genotypes evaluated, Samnut 22 and 23 gave the highest survival (74.44 and 75.56%) and shoot formation (72.22 and 72.78%) after cryopreservation.

Keywords: Cryopreservation, embryonic axes, groundnut, vitrification

African Journal of Biotechnology, Vol. 13(2), pp. 280-285, 8 January, 2014