Cultivo in vitro del mortiño (<em>Vaccinium floribundum</em> Kunth)

Due to the economic and agronomic potencial that mortino ( Vaccinium floribundum Kunth) has in Ecuador, the objective of this research was to establish in vitro propagation methods for this species by seed germination and by shoot growth from axillary buds. Modified Woody Plant Medium [1] (mWPM) was used, in which up to 60.7% of seeds germinated. A strong cytokine, trans-zeatin riboside, TZR (1 mg/l), combined with a-napthaleneacetic acid, NAA (0.05 mg/l), was used to subculture the in vitro germinated plantlets. The use of basal medium without hormones or with 2iP, 6-(gamma,gamma-dimethylalylamino) purine, allowed elongation and rooting of plantletss. The acclimatization of mortino plants has not yet been standardized, and further research is needed to find the conditions that are suitable for this process. To establish in vitro cultures by axillary buds, apical segments of the stem were disinfected and introduced in medium mWPM containing TZR, (7 mg/l) combined with NAA (0.1 mg/l). Growing buds were transferred to media with 2iP (3 or 5 mg/l) for propagation and elongation. This investigation is a preliminary study for the in vitro culture of mortino, setting the basis for future research with this species.