Seed characteristics of Curculigo latifolia and its prospect to in vitro propagation

Abstract

The propagation of Curculigo latifolia only occurs naturally in the wild and it is difficult to be domesticated via seed. It is suspected that the seeds are recalcitrant and require a special medium and care. In this study, we evaluated the structure of seed of C. latifolia using a stereo microscope, SEM and tetrazolium for seed viability test. The characteristics of the seeds observed in this study were the shape and color of the seeds, viability of the seeds with tetrazolim test. Seeds from the fresh fruit were cultured on MS0 medium to determine the ability of the seeds to germinate. This study showed that seeds aged 8-9 weeks after flowering were viable seeds with a red color indicated on all seed surfaces through the tetrazolium test.The structure of C. latifolia embryo is classified as an axial embryo with hypogeal germination type. Seeds of C. latifolia have potential to be used as explants for in vitro culture.