Efficacy of Passion Fruit Cryopreservation Using Cryopotectant Agents

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of cryoprotectant agents on Passiflora eichleriana, Passiflora crystallina and Passiflora nitida seeds undergoing cryopreservation. The experiment was conducted with non-cryoprotected or non-cryopreserved seeds (control), cryopreserved seeds without cryoprotectant and cryopreserved seeds treated with the following cryoprotectants: 1.73, 2.28, 2.60 or 2.71 mol glycerol; 0.37, 0.46, 0.54 or 0.61 mol sucrose; or 0.37, 0.72, 1.04 or 1.35 mol dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). After treatment, the seeds were cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) for 7 days and then defrosted in 37°C water for 5 min. The seeds were submitted to germination and vigor tests consisting of four replicates of 50 seeds. Percentage of germination (PE) and germination velocity index, percentage of emergence velocity index, shoot and root length, and shoot and root dry mass were evaluated. After cryopreservation, all of germination and vigor values were higher without the use of cryoprotectants. The cryoprotectant glycerol had a deleterious effect on seed viability and vigor for all Passiflora species. Glycerol inhibit seedling emergence and concentrations higher than 2.60 mol seed germination on P. cristalina. Higher concentrations of DMSO decrease seed viability and vigor in P. crystalina and P. nitida.