Antibiotic effects on the endophytic bacterial community of pineapple microplants (Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill) cv. IAC Gomo-de-mel and its consequences on in vitro plant morphogenesis

• Grant number: 09/09495-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2010
• End date: December 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Marcilio de Almeida
• Grantee: Gabriela Ferraz Leone
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The plant tissue culture is presented as an excellent tool for the study of interactions between plants and microorganisms, it allows to restricting factors that in situ, can influence in order to mask and even affect the responses obtained. Moreover, the plant tissue culture can promote physiological and biochemical evidences, arising from these interactions, which are intensified and accelerated during in vitro morphogenesis. The presence of endophytic bacteria and the relationship of these with plants have been found in several cultures of economic interest, agricultural, ornamental, forest and fruit. In in vivo pineapple plants several endophytic bacteria were isolated and, some studies also have shown beneficial effects of the presence of endophytic in micropropagated plants. Nevertheless, there are no studies on the natural endophytic bacterial community of micropropagated pineapple plants without artificial inoculation. Considering that the biotechnology and agricultural use of endophytic microbiota were already appeared, studies that can contribute to the understanding and the control of the effects of symbiotic interactions between plants and microorganisms on the promotion of morphogenesis and metabolism of in vitro plants are needed. Accordingly, this project aims to study the possible influence of endophytic bacteria on morphogenetic pathways of pineapple microplants (Ananas comosus (L.) Merrill) cv. IAC Gomo-de-mel, through antibiotic therapy, histological analysis and molecular biology techniques (16S rRNA PCR). (AU)