Abstract
Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is an ancient tree species belonging to the Order Ranales and Family Lauraceae. At present, the demand for avocado is growing rapidly due to its high nutritional value and reported health benefits. Much of this demand is centred on only a few cultivated varieties despite there being vast genetic diversity in the species. Preservation of germplasm is a proactive approach to address future breeding needs and to safeguard the diversity of cultivated crops including avocado. Present conservation strategies for Avocado (Persea spp.) solely rely on field collections, as seeds are highly heterozygous and recalcitrant to long-term storage. However, these field banks are constantly exposed to abiotic and biotic stresses. Moreover, the size of the gene pool, number of replications and quality of maintenance are restrained by the local environmental conditions, space and funding. In this chapter we present a protocol for cryopreservation of avocado somatic embryos as an alternative to field banks for long-term storage of germplasm. The protocol describes all stages of a vitrification-based cryopreservation and regeneration technique including induction, maintenance, maturation, cryo-treatment and germination of somatic embryos. This in vitro regeneration and storage system for avocado will impose low risk and is a space efficient conservation method that will be beneficial for future improvement of this invaluable horticultural crop.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Abdelnour-Esquivel A, Engelmann F (2002) Cryopreservation of c hayote (Sechium edule JACQ: SW.) zygotic embryos and shoot-tips from in vitroplantlets. Cryo Lett 23, 299–308 (Alcaraz, M.L., Hormaza, J.I., 2009)
Ammirato PV (1986) Organizational events during somatic embryogenesis
Ashmore S, Azimi M, Drew R (2001) Cryopreservation trials in Carica papaya. Acta Hortic 560:117–120
Benson EE (2008) Cryopreservation of phytodiversity: a critical appraisal of theory & practice. Crit Rev Plant Sci 27:141–219. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352680802202034
Ben-Ya’acov A, Bufler G, Barrientos-Priego AF et al (1992) A study of avocado germplasm resources, 1988–1990. I. General description of the international project and its findings. In: Proceedings of the second World Avocado congress, pp 535–541
Ben-Ya’acov A, Michelson E (1995) Avocado Rootstocks. In: Horticultural reviews, pp 381–429
Bertrand-Desbrunais A (Institut F de RS pour le D en C), Fabre J, Engelmann F et al (1989) Adventive embryogenesis recovery from coffee (Coffea arabica L.) somatic embryos after freezing in liquid nitrogen. In: Bulletin de la Societe Botanique de France Actualites Botaniques (France)
Bouman H, de Clerk GJ (1990) Cryopreservation of Lilly meristems. In: Flower bulbs. Acta Horticulturae
Cailloux F, Julien-Guerrier J, Linossier L, Coudret A (1996) Long-term somatic embryogenesis and maturation of somatic embryos in Hevea brasiliensis. Plant Sci 120:185–196. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9452(96)04491-3
Cruz-Hernandez A, Litz RE, Lim MG (1998) Agrobacterium tumefaciens–mediated transformation of embryogenic avocado cultures and regeneration of somatic embryos. Plant Cell Rep 17:497–503
Davis J, Henderson D, Kobayashi M et al (1998) Genealogical relationships among cultivated avocado as revealed through RFLP analyses. J Hered 89:319–323. https://doi.org/10.1093/jhered/89.4.319
Dreher ML, Davenport AJ (2013) Hass avocado composition and potential health effects. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 53:738–750. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2011.556759
Dulloo ME, Ebert AW, Dussert S et al (2009) Cost efficiency of cryopreservation as a long-term conservation method for coffee genetic resources. Crop Sci 49:2123–2138. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2008.12.0736
Efendi D (2003) Transformation and cryopreservation of embryogenic avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cultures. University of Florida
Encina CL, Parisi A, O’Brien C, Mitter N (2014) Enhancing somatic embryogenesis in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) using a two-step culture system and including glutamine in the culture medium. Sci Hortic 165:44–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2013.10.019
Engelmann F (2004) Plant cryopreservation: progress and prospects. Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 40:427–433. https://doi.org/10.1079/IVP2004541
Engelmann F (2011) Use of biotechnologies for the conservation of plant biodiversity. Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 47:5–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-010-9327-2
Escobedo V, Escobedo JA (2010) Adventitious root formation without rooting medium in etiolated shoots of “Duke” avocado (Persea americana) growing on nurse plants. In: XXVIII International horticultural congress on science and horticulture for people (IHC2010): International symposium on Micro 923, pp 227–232
Fabbri A, Sutter E, Dunston SK (1986) Anatomical changes in persistent leaves of tissue cultured strawberry plants after removal from culture. Sci Hortic 28:331–337. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(86)90107-X
FAOSTAT (2014) FAOSTAT. In: FAOSTAT. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC/visualize. Accessed 29 Sept 2017
Fulgoni VL, Dreher M, Davenport AJ (2013) Avocado consumption is associated with better diet quality and nutrient intake, and lower metabolic syndrome risk in US adults: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2008. Nutr J 12:1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-12-1
Furnier GR, Cummings MP, Clegg MT (1990) Evolution of the avocados as revealed by DNA restriction fragment variation. J Hered 81:183–188. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a110963
Galindo-Tovar ME, Ogata-Aguilar N, Arzate-Fernández AM (2008) Some aspects of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) diversity and domestication in Mesoamerica. Genet Resour Crop Evol 55:441–450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-007-9250-5
Gamborg OL, Miller RA, Ojima K (1968) Nutrient requirements of suspension cultures of soybean root cells. Exp Cell Res 50:151–158. https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(68)90403-5
Grout BWW, Crisp PC (1995) Cryopreservation of germplasm of tomato. SpringerLink, 371–380. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03096-7_26
Guan Y, Li S-G, Fan X-F, Su Z-H (2016) Application of somatic embryogenesis in woody plants. Front Plant Sci. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00938
Guzmán-García E, Sánchez-Romero C, Panis B, Carpentier SC (2013) The use of 2D-DIGE to understand the regeneration of somatic embryos in avocado. Proteomics 13:3498–3507. https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.201300148
Hiti-Bandaralage JCA, Hayward A, Mitter N (2017) Micropropagation of avocado (Persea americana Mill.). Am J Plant Sci 8:2898–2921
Imafidon KE, Amaechina FC (2010) Effects of aqueous seed extract of Persea americana Mill. (avocado) on blood pressure and lipid profile in hypertensive rats. Adv Biol Res 4:116–121
Jain SM, Gupta PK (eds) (2005) Protocol for somatic embryogenesis in woody plants. Springer, Dordrecht/New York
Jain SM, Gupta PK, Newton RJ (eds) (1999) Somatic embryogenesis in woody plants. Springer, Dordrecht
Kaczmarczyk A, Funnekotter B, Menon A et al (2012) Current tissues in plant cryopreservation. Curr Front Cryobiol, 417–438
Kaity A, Ashmore SE, Drew RA, Dulloo ME (2008) Assessment of genetic and epigenetic changes following cryopreservation in papaya. Plant Cell Rep 27:1529–1539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-008-0558-1
Koppa LE (1996) A taxonomic revision of the genus Persea in the Western hemisphere (Persea-Lauraceae). Mem NY Bot Grad 14:1–117
Kulkarni V, Suprasanna P, Bapat V (2006) Plant regeneration through multiple shoot formation and somatic embryogenesis in a commercially important and endangered Indian banana cv. Rajeli. Curr Sci 90:842–850
Lesar H, Hlebec B, Čeranič N et al (2012) Acclimatization of terrestrial orchid Bletilla striata Rchb. f. (Orchidaceae) propagated under in vitro conditions. Acta Agric Slov 99:69–75
Litz RE (2005) Biotechnology of fruit and nut crops. CABI
Litz RE (2004) Effect of gamma irradiation on embryogenic avocado cultures and somatic embryo development. Plant Cell, Tissue Organ Cult 77:139–147
Litz RE, Litz W (2000) Somatic embryogenesis of avocado (Persea americana) and its application for plant improvement. In: International symposium on tropical and subtropical fruits. Acta Horticulturae, pp 133–138
Márquez-Martín B, Barceló-Muñoz A, Pliego-Alfaro F, Sánchez-Romero C (2012) Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in avocado (Persea americana Mill.): influence of embryogenic culture type. J Plant Biochem Biotechnol 21:180–188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-011-0091-0
Mhameed S, Sharon D, Kaufman D et al (1997) Genetic relationships within avocado (Persea americana Mill) cultivars and between Persea species. Theor Appl Genet 94:279–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s001220050411
Mooney PA, Staden JV (1987) Induction of embryogenesis in callus from immature embryos of Persea americana. Can J Bot 65:622–626
Mujib A, Šamaj J (2006) Somatic embryogenesis. Springer Science & Business Media
Murashige T, Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bio assays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol Plant 15:473–497. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.1962.tb08052.x
Mycock DJ, Wesley-Smith J, Berjak P (1995) Cryopreservation of somatic embryos of four species with and without cryoprotectant pre-treatment. Ann Bot 75:331–336. https://doi.org/10.1006/anbo.1995.1030
O’Brien C, Constantin M, Walia A et al (2016) Cryopreservation of somatic embryos for avocado germplasm conservation. Sci Hortic 211:328–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.09.008
Panis B, Lambardi M (2005) Status of cryopreservation technologies in plants (crops and forest trees). In: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (ed) The role of biotechnology in exploring and protecting agricultural genetic resources. Food & Agriculture Org., pp 43–54
Pateña LF, Carlos-Refuerzo LR, Barba RC (2002) Somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration in mango (Mangifera indica L.). Vitro Cell Dev Biol Plant 38:173–177. https://doi.org/10.1079/IVP2001275
Pérez RM, Mas O, Navarro L, Duran-Vila N (1998) Production and cryoconservation of embryogenic cultures of mandarin and mandarin hybrids. Plant Cell, Tissue Organ Cult 55:71–74. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026433405701
Pierce HF (1959) The nutritional value of the avocado. California avocado society Year Book
Platt RG (1976) Current techniques of avocado propagation. In: Proceedings of the first international tropical fruit short course: the avocado. Florida Cooperative Extension Service and Institute of Food and Agricultural Services, University of Florida, Gainesville, pp 92–95
Pliego-Alfaro F, Murashige T (1988) Somatic embryogenesis in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) in vitro. Plant Cell, Tissue Organ Cult 12:61–66
Raharjo SH, Litz RE (2005) Micrografting and ex vitro grafting for somatic embryo rescue and plant recovery in avocado (Persea americana). Plant Cell, Tissue Organ Cult 82:1–9
Salazar MJ, El Hafidi M, Pastelin G et al (2005) Effect of an avocado oil-rich diet over an angiotensin II-induced blood pressure response. J Ethnopharmacol 98:335–338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2005.01.044
Sánchez-Romero C, Márquez-Martín B, Pliego-Alfaro F (2006) Somatic and zygotic embryogenesis in avocado. Somat Embryogenesis, 271–284
Schaffer BA, Wolstenholme BN, Whiley AW (2013) The avocado: botany, production and uses. CABI
Scora RW, Bergh B (1992) Origin of and taxonomic relationships within the Genus Persea. University of California, Riverside, pp 505–574
Silva TA, Ledesma N (2014) Avocado history, biodiversity and production. In: Sustainable horticultural systems. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp 157–205
Storey WB, Bergh B, Zentmyer GA (1986) The origin, indigenous range and dissemination of the avocado. Calif Avocado Soc Yearb 70:127–143
Suarez IE, Schnell RA, Kuhn DN, Litz RE (2006) Recovery and indexing of avocado plants (Persea americana) from embryogenic nucellar cultures of an avocado sunblotch viroid-infected tree. Plant Cell, Tissue Organ Cult 84:27–37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11240-005-7532-1
Villalobos VM, Ferreira P, Mora A (1991) The use of biotechnology in the conservation of tropical germplasm. Biotechnol Adv 9:197–215
Wetzstein HY, Sommer HE (1982) Leaf anatomy of tissue-cultured Liquidambar styraciflua (Hamamelidaceae) during acclimatization. Am J Bot 69:1579–1586. https://doi.org/10.2307/2442913
Witjaksono, Litz RE (1999) Induction and growth characteristics of embryogenic avocado cultures. Plant Cell, Tissue Organ Cult 58:19–29
Witjaksono, Litz RE, Grosser JW (1998) Isolation, culture and regeneration of avocado (Persea americana Mill.) protoplasts. Plant Cell Rep 18:235–242
Witney WG, Arpaia M, Clegg MT, Douhan G (2017) Avocado germplasm preservation and breeding program in California. In: New germplasm and new breeding programmes. Tauranga, New Zealand
Zirari A, Lionakis SM (1994) Effect of cultivar, explant type, etiolation pretreatment and the age of plant material on the in vitro regeneration ability of avocado (Persea americana). Acta Hortic 365:69–76
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
O’Brien, C., Hiti-Bandaralage, J.C.A., Hayward, A., Mitter, N. (2018). Avocado (Persea americana Mill.). In: Jain, S., Gupta, P. (eds) Step Wise Protocols for Somatic Embryogenesis of Important Woody Plants. Forestry Sciences, vol 85. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-79087-9_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-79087-9_24
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-79086-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-79087-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)