SCREENING FOR A SUITABLE CRYOPRESERVATION PROTOCOL FOR Polypodium vulgare

Cryopreservation (storage at -196°C) is one of the techniques used for ex situ conservation to guarantee the long-term storage of different biological materials. Polypodium vulgare (Common polypody) is an evergreen fern used as food and medicine. To our knowledge, no cryopreservation protocol for gametophytes from this species is available. In this context, our paper aimed to screen a suitable cryopreservation protocol for P. vulgare - an important source of secondary metabolites. Different protocols were tested to identify a suitable cryopreservation protocol. Techniques like light microscopy and biochemical assays were used to certify an appropriate protocol for this fern. Gametophyte desiccation for 3 hours in the sterilized airflow before rapid immersion in liquid nitrogen provides sufficient dehydration to assure a good rate of survival.