Tissue culture of Annona spp. (cherimoya, atemoya, sugar apple and soursop): A review

Abstract

Most commercially important Annona species are currently propagated through grafting and budding. However, seedling rootstocks vary in vigor and disease resistance and the consequent variation in scion growth has major effects on yield. With the exception of a few cultivars, clonal propagation of cherimoya, atemoya, sugar apple and soursop by cutting or air layering has not been very successful. Root and shoot organogenesis has been successfully induced in sugar apple anther, endosperm and leaf explants as well as in cherimoya hypocotyl, petiole, internode and nodal cuttings. Hypocotyl and nodal cuttings of atemoya and hypocotyl explants of soursop have also proved suitable for in vitro culture. Tissue-cultured shoots, especially those obtained from hypocotyl and nodal segments of some Annona species have been successfully rooted. The results of studies on the prevention of browning during tissue culture, and on induction of autotrophy are reported.