Coffea arabica is one of the two most consumed coffee species in the world. Micropropagation through somatic embryogenesis has allowed the large-scale propagation of different coffee varieties. However, the regeneration of plants using this technique depends on the genotype. This study aimed to develop a protocol for the regeneration of C. arabica L. var. Colombia by somatic embryogenesis for its mass propagation. Foliar explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and phytagel for inducing somatic embryogenesis. In total, 90% of the explants formed embryogenic calli with a culture medium containing 2 mg L-1 of 2,4-D, 0.2 mg L-1 BAP, and 2.3 g L-1 phytagel. The highest number of embryos per gram of callus (118.74) was obtained in a culture medium containing 0.5 mg L-1 2,4-D, 1.1 mg L-1 BAP, and 5.0 g L-1 phytagel. In total, 51% of the globular embryos reached the cotyledonary stage when they were cultured on the growth medium. This medium contained 0.25 mg L-1 BAP, 0.25 mg L-1 indoleacetic acid (IAA), and 5.0 g L-1 of phytagel. The mixture of vermiculite:perlite (3:1) allowed 21% of embryos to become plants.
Keywords: coffee; in vitro propagation; somatic embryos; tissue culture.