RESUMO
Somatic embryogenesis from explants from hermaphrodite papaya mother plants is an alternative for the production of true-to-type plants without the need for sexing. This study aimed to analyze hormonal and osmotic inducers in different somatic embryogenesis stages in the commercial hermaphrodite hybrid papaya UENF/Caliman 01. Leaf disks from in vitro shoots originated from ex vitro hermaphrodite plants were cultured in induction medium supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-D (6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 µM) and 4-CPA (19, 22, 25, 28, and 31 µM). After 90 days, the formation of somatic embryos was verified. The 2,4-D induced the formation of light brown calli with low frequency (20%) of somatic embryogenesis. However, 4-CPA (25 µM) induced 96% of embryogenic calli, which were transferred to maturation medium (MM) and cultured for 30 days. The MM contained ABA (0.5 µM) and AC (15 g L-1) and produced 36.6 somatic embryos callus-1, mainly on cotyledonary stage. Cotyledonary embryos were transferred to germination medium supplemented with gibberellic acid (GA3) (0.0, 1.44, 2.88, and 4.32 µM), and the conversion into plantlets was enhanced with GA3 at 2.88 µM.