Biotechnology, cytogenetic and molecular study on orchid species from Brazilian flora.

• Grant number: 12/16563-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Forestry Resources and Forestry Engineering - Nature Conservation
• Principal Investigator: Dario Abel Palmieri
• Grantee: Milena Cristina Moraes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The genus Cattleya has about 60 species of epiphytic herbs and is considered the most representative within the family Orchidaceae based on their floral traits. Some aspects draw attention to this genus, emphasizing its high economic importance in the flower market, the lack of information on cultivation and in vitro propagation and disagreement over the systematic of several species, including Cattleya guttata, C. tigrina and C. leopoldii. For lack of detailed research on this subject, this study aims to evaluate different formulations of growth media for asymbiotic germination and micropropagation of these materials in order to propose more efficient methods and lower cost to obtain quality seedlings, on a commercial scale and in a short time. Alongside will be applied cytogenetic and molecular tools in order to elucidate the taxonomic divergence of these species. The cytogenetic context will be evaluated by determining the chromosome number as well as parameters that define the structure of the karyotype of each material, while in the molecular context will be evaluated patterns of ISSR molecular markers, to characterize the molecular polymorphisms. Thus, this design suggests that it is possible to establish in vitro protocols for these efficient Cattleya species and that they can be identified by their karyotypes and patterns of ISSR molecular markers and such information may contribute to develop strategies to preserve these species.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MORAES, Milena Cristina. Estudo biotecnológico, citogenético e molecular em espécies de orquídeas endêmicas da flora brasileira. 2014. Master's Dissertation - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências e Letras. Assis Assis.