EFFECT OF THE GIBBERELLIC-ACID AND BENZILAMINOPURINE ON THE IN-VITRO GROWTH OF EMBRYOS OF COFFEE PLANTS CV ACAIA

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different con centrations of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) and citokinin on the in vitro growth of embryos of the coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plant cv. Acaia. T he experiment was done in the tissue culture laboratory of the Univers idade Federal de Lavras (Federal University of Lavras). The experiment al design used was in random blocks in 4 x 4 factorial scheme with fou r tubes per parcel and one embryo per tube. The treatments consisted o f different concentrations of GA(3) (0, 2, 4 and 8 mg/L) and benzilami nopurine (BAP) (0, 2, 4, and 8 mg/L). The culture medium used was soli dified MS with 7 g/L of agar and pH adjusted to 6.1 before autoclaving . The results showed that the increase of GA(3) concentration reduces rooting and the BAP does not influence this process. The citokinin BAP is dispensable for the culture of the coffee plant embryos, while GA( 3) contributes to their development.