Relationship between five climatic parameters and somatic embryogenesis from sporophytic floral explants of <i>Theobroma cacao</i> L.

Abstract

To analyse the relationship between climatic parameters and somatic embryogenesis (SE), some favourable and unfavourable periods were identified. Likewise, to optimize SE in unfavourable periods the relationship among 2,4-D/TDZ, SE and year was analysed. Staminodes and petals of six hybrids and two clones as controls were sown in bulk onto three different calli induction media. Minimal temperature, rainfall, maximal temperature, mean temperature, temperature gaps, sunshine and relative humidity as climatic parameters were simultaneously recorded the day of the harvest of flower buds. Student-Fisher’s test at 5% level, Principal Component Analysis and Pearson’s linear correlation at 5%, 1% or 1‰ were used to separate the averages, identify the best climatic parameters and analyse the link between the climate and SE, respectively. The relative humidity and mean temperature were eliminated from the study. The period that spreads out from January to September favoured SE. In favourable periods, the SE variation was independent of that of concentration in 2,4-D/TDZ. This shows that these are the metabolites coming from 2,4-D/TDZ that activate the genes rather than these two compounds themselves. In unfavourable periods, in the first year, the weakest concentration in 2,4- D/TDZ of PCG3 medium favoured SE, while in the second year that is the strongest concentration of PCG4 which increased it. This could indicate an interaction among year, concentration in 2,4-D/TDZ and SE. However, the link thus established is only statistical. It did not allow the quantification of the contribution level of these climatic parameters to variations of SE.

Key words: Somatic embryogenesis variations, staminodes, petals, PCG calli induction media, favourable and unfavourable periods. 2,4-D/TDZ concentration in periods.