MULTIPLICAÇÃO IN VITRO DE PALMA FORRAGEIRA Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill PARA CULTIVO NO SEMIÁRIDO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

ABSTRACT The propagation in laboratory of selected pear cactus varieties tolerant to carmine cochineal (Dactylopius opuntiae) is a viable alternative for the conservation and sustainable use of species adapted to the Caatinga biome, particularly cacti. The aim of this research was to test the effect of different in vitro culture media on the production of two forage palm genotypes, tolerant to carmine cochineal, using biotechnology as a tool for rapid multiplication. Fragments of cladodes of the two palm varieties, small palm and elephant ear, were grown in Murashige & Skoog (1962), culture medium, containing growth regulators with concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 2.0 mg.L-1 of BAP and from 0.0 to 0, 25 mg.L-1 of ANA or AIA, with a completely randomized design in two experiments (one for each variety), being: 15 treatments of 3 doses of auxins (AIA or ANA) x 5 doses of cytokinin and 5 repetitions. When we submitted the explants to the first battery of tests (BAP x AIA), it was found that there was no influence on the height, number of shoots or number of roots for both varieties, whereas in the second battery (BAPx ANA) there were different responses from according to the combination of hormones used.