Os objetivos deste trabalho foram estabelecer protocolos eficientes para a multiplicação e enraizamento in vitro, bem como para a aclimatização ex vitro de Aegiphila verticillata, uma espécie arbórea típica dos campos rupestres brasileiros. Culturas assépticas foram estabelecidas a partir de sementes, e dois experimentos de multiplicação foram realizados. No primeiro experimento, foram utilizados 6-benzilaminopurina (BAP – 0; 2,5; 5; e 7,5 μM) + ácido α-naftaleno acético (ANA – 0; 0,2; 0,4; e 0,6 μM) e, no segundo, sulfato de adenina, cinetina ou thidiazuron (0; 5; 7,5; 10; e 12,5 μM). Após 90 dias, foram avaliados o número e a qualidade das brotações. Houve mais de 90% de germinação das sementes e reduzida taxa de contaminação (2%). Na etapa de multiplicação, o meio que promoveu o melhor desenvolvimento qualitativo e quantitativo das culturas foi o suplementado com 7,5 μM de BAP + 0,4 μM de ANA. No experimento de enraizamento, foram utilizados ANA, ácido indol acético (AIA) ou ácido indol butírico (AIB) (0; 0,1; 0,2; 0,3; e 0,4 μM). Após 90 dias, foram avaliados o número de raízes e a qualidade do sistema radicular. Nessa análise, não foram encontradas diferenças entre o controle e os demais tratamentos. Plântulas enraizadas foram aclimatizadas inicialmente por 30 dias em bandejas de isopor, período após o qual foram transferidas para vasos, em casa de vegetação. Apenas 3% das plantas submetidas à aclimatização inicial morreram, e 70% daquelas transferidas para a casa de vegetação sobreviveram e apresentaram desenvolvimento normal. Os resultados encontrados neste trabalho são os primeiros relatos envolvendo a propagação in vitro e a aclimatização ex vitro de Aegiphila verticillata e possibilitam o fornecimento de um suprimento contínuo dessa espécie medicinal nativa, ameaçada de extinção devido às atividades antrópicas.

The objective of this work was to establish an efficient protocol for in vitro multiplication and rooting, as well as ex vitroacclimatization of Aegiphila verticillata, a woody species found in Brazilian rocky fields. Aseptic cultures were established by seeds and two multiplication analyses were performed. In the first, we employed 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP – 0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 μM) + α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA – 0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 μM) and, in the second, were studied adenine sulfate, kinetin and thidiazuron (0, 5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 μM). After 90 days, we assessed the quantitative and qualitative shoot propagation. There were more than 90% seed germination and low contamination (2%). In multiplication phase, the culture medium that promoted the best quantitative and qualitative culture development was supplemented with 7.5 μM BAP + 0.4 μM NAA. In the rooting assay, were used NAA, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 or 0.4 μM). After 90 days, the root number and rooting quality were evaluated. In this analysis, differences were not found between the control and the other treatments. Rooted plantlets were acclimatized in styrofoam trays for 30 days, after which they were transferred to pots in the greenhouse. Only 3% of the plants subjected to initial acclimatization died and 70% of the plants transferred to the field conditions survived and showed normal development. The results founded in this work are the first involving in vitro propagation and ex vitroacclimatization of Aegiphila verticillata and provide a continuous supply of this medicinal native species, endangered due anthropogenic activities.

This study aimed to establish and propagate in vitro plants of Bouchea fluminensis, a medicinal species known in Brazil as gervão-falso ("false verbena"), evaluating the influences of different growth regulators on in vitro multiplication and rooting stages, as well as examining ex vitro acclimatization of rooted plants. Explants were established on Murashige and Skoog medium at half strength of salts and vitamins without growth regulators. For multiplication, the explants were subjected to combinations of 6-benzyladenine (BA; 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 µM) and α-naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA; 0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 µM). The medium found to induce the greatest number of shoot was that containing 5 µM of BA (NAA-free). For rooting, we evaluated three auxins (NAA, indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid; 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 µM), as well as a control. No differences were observed between the control and the other treatments. The auxin-free medium was deemed the most suitable, because it ensures the lowest cost in the micropropagation procedures. We obtained 100% survival of the acclimatized seedlings, and the plants showed normal vegetative and reproductive development, suggesting that the micropropagation did not alter the biological cycle of this species. The results show the importance and potential of micropropagation for biodiversity conservation of Bouchea fluminensis.