Evaluation of in vitro development potential of calendula officinalis seeds in ms culture media

Abstract

Calendula officinalis is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family Asteraceae, which is capable to present antioxidant and antibacterial activities against several microrganisms. The in vitro micropropagation technique of the species is na alternative to obtain a better quality, plant uniformity, as well as the production of healthy plants and rapid growth. Based on this, this study seeks to evaluate the potencial of in vitro development of Calendula officinalis seed’s, evaluating factors such as germination, establishment and growth. The seeds used, were reaped from parent plants cultivated in a private property in the city of Iomerê-SC/Brasil in march/2019, and than transported to UNOESC laboratory. After the preparation of the culture media MS, the seeds were whased, disinfested and positioned in the culture media in tubes, where 10 tubes contained artificial food coloring and another 10 without addition of artificial food coloring, and kept ind the dark for 7 days at 25ºC, elapsed time, transferred for photoperiod of 16 hours. After 36 days, realized the in vitro multiplication in glasses with culture media MS without artificial food coloring and kept in the same conditions of photoperiod. The calendula seed’s presented low in vitro development, being that, those that developed are from the culture media MS with addition of the artificial food color pink, reaching in 43 days of cultivation an average of 4 cm in length. Although artificial coloring presented a positive result in the development of explants, other studies are needed to improve the mechanical and chemical techniques that assist the in vitro germination of calendula seed’s.