Mutation induction and biotechnological techniques are some of the current approaches used in plant breeding. In the present work radiation-induced mutation followed by in vitro culture of zygotic embryos and high osmotic pressure selection methods to improve salt tolerance in avocado are investigated. The in vitro germination, rooting, bud multiplication and plantlet acclimatization of Cuban avocado varieties were recorded. The germination rates of whole embryos in vitro were found to be higher when using mature rather than immature embryos. Almost 80% of the whole embryos derived plantlets produced were successfully acclimatized under greenhouse conditions. An in vitro propagation method for avocado breeding purposes was optimized and documented. However, in vitro multiplication results indicated the need to improve bud multiplication methods in avocado. The survival rates of gamma rays irradiated and salt pressured avocado embryos were also investigated. Both mutagenic (LD{sub 50} = 27-28 Gy) and selective (LD{sub 20} = 157 mM of NaCl) doses were established. A procedure combining zygotic embryo culture and mutation induction was used to obtain. Putative mutant lines derived from salt tolerant rootstocks were developed. Putative M{sub 1}V{sub 3} progenies were planted in the field for segregation analysis. An avocado gene bank was established under the same study. Therefore this methodology appears as an alternative to traditional breeding methods, particularly for improving agronomic characteristics such as salt tolerance in avocado. (author)