In Vitro Cotyledonary Development and Anthocyanin Synthesis in Zygotic and Asexual Embryos of Theobroma cacao1

Abstract

Cotyledonary development of asexual embryos of cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) in liquid medium on a rotary drum apparatus was similar to that of zygotic embryos in vivo . Immature zygotic and asexual embryos synthesized anthocyanins, characteristic of the developing zygotic embryo in vivo , when cultured in vitro in liquid or on semisolid media containing high concentrations of sucrose.