Review. Effects of microbial contamination and phenolic oxidation on in vitro establishment of perennial fruits perennes

Abstract

Nowadays, fruit trees constitute an inexhaustiblesource of wealth, not only for its acceptance in various regionsof the world but also for the nutrients they contribute to humanhealth. Fruit tree populations are very low all over the world;even they are sometimes almost inexistent, since thesecultivated areas are poorly attended, besides their weak geneticvariability and hard propagation, as a result of the specificcharacteristics of many of these species. The naturalpropagation of woody fruit species is usually by seeds, whichare often released in small amounts and strongly damaged bypests and predators; therefore, it is a limiting factor forobtaining future planting material. Biotechnologicaltechniques can play an important role for the adequate supplyof vitroplants as planting material. In vitro germination makesthis process possible under aseptic and controlled conditionsat any season of the year, enabling to reduce germinationprocess and obtain seedlings under appropriate phytosanitaryconditions for in vitro culture studies. However, for thesuccessful establishment of these species, it is necessary toprevent and control microbial contamination and phenolicoxidation, as it is one of the most serious problems in woodyfruit tree micropropagation.