Cocoa ( Theobroma cacao L.) Somatic Embryos Tolerate Some Ice Crystallization during Cryopreservation

Abstract

Secondary somatic embryos (SSEs) of cocoa, a recalcitrant tropical, seed-producing species, were cryopreserved using a vitrification approach and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was employed to optimise sucrose preculture and Plant Vitrification Solution 2 (PVS2) incubation. The objective of the study was to evaluate the influence of sucrose preculture and PVS2 dehydration on water content of SSE that will enable it to survive cryostorage. SSEs were precultured for 3 or 5 days on media containing 0.5 M or 0.75 M sucrose and cryoprotected in loading solution (2 M glycerol and 0.4 M sucrose in medium) for 20 min before they were dehydrated with cold PVS2 for 0 - 90 min. Thermal analysis revealed the occurrence of ice crystallization in the SSEs with the extent declining with increasing PVS2 exposure. Maximal survival of SSEs was promoted by preculture on 0.5 M sucrose medium and dehydration with PVS2 for 45 - 60 min, which was characterised by small ice crystallization. Exposure of SSEs beyond 60 min leads to excessive dehydration as characterized by no change in the thermograms. Based on these findings, preculture of SSEs on 0.5 M sucrose medium and dehydration with cold PVS2 for 60 min has been adopted for the successful cryopreservation of cocoa germplasm.