Patent ID: 8921087

Claim:
A process for the propagation of Theobroma cacao L. by somatic embryogenesis, the process comprising: a) primary embryogenesis for 5 to 15 weeks at a temperature from 20° C. to 30° C. i) in which explant material is treated in the dark on a solid culture medium containing a phyotohormone selected from the group consisting of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Thidiazuron (TDZ), kinetin, and combinations thereof to produce primary callus followed by ii) treatment of the primary callus in the dark on a solid culture medium containing a phyotohormone selected from the group consisting of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Thidiazuron (TDZ), kinetin, and combinations thereof to produce primary embryonic callus followed by iii) treatment of the primary embryonic callus in the dark on a solid culture medium that is free of growth hormones to produce primary embryos, b) secondary embryogenesis i) in which the primary embryos are treated in the dark in a culture medium selected from the group consisting of solid and liquid culture medium for 10 to 25 weeks at a temperature from 20° C. to 30° C. to produce and multiply secondary embryogenic callus followed by ii) treatment of the secondary embryogenic callus in the dark in a suitable liquid culture medium for 1 to 6 weeks at a temperature from 20° C. to 30° C. to produce secondary embryos, c) pre-germination of the secondary embryos in a liquid medium in a bioreactor for 3 to 12 weeks at a temperature from 20° C. to 30° C. to produce pre-germinated secondary embryos at the cotyledonary stage, d) ex-vitro germination of the pre-germinated secondary embryos at the cotyledonary stage by sowing directly on a culture substrate in a greenhouse to produce plantlets, and e) development of the plantlets; wherein the embroyogenic calli are obtained from flower buds.