Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 23(1): 79-85, 2013 (June)

In vitro Regeneration of an Endangered Medicinal Plant Withania somnifera using Four Different Explants

A. Arumugam* and K. Gopinath

Division of Bio-Nanotechnology, Department of Nanoscience & Technology, Alagappa University, Karaikudi-630 004, Tamilnadu, India

Key words: Withania somnifera, Leaf callus, Cotyledons, Hypocotyls, Epicotyls

Abastract

An efficient protocol was developed for highly regenerative capacity from leaf explant of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal - an endangered medicinal plant. Calli were regenerated from four different explants like leaves, cotyledons, hypocotyls and epicotyls. MS supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-D, BAP and NAA were used. The calli (94.33 ? 1.20%) were obtained from the leaf explant in 2,4-D 3.0 mg/l. The highest number of multiple shoots (85.67 ? 0.88%) were obtained from the leaf callus at 4.0 mg/l BAP. Shootlets forming calli were transferred to the rooting medium containing 10.0 mg/l NAA to produce multiple roots (89.33 ? 0.88%). The regenerated rooted shootlets were transferred to small polythene bags, which contain a sterilized cow-dung, sand and red soil (1 : 2 : 3) and kept in a mist house. After acclimation in the mist house the regenerated plantlets were hardened in the greenhouse and transferred to soil, which showed 85% survival rate. This new protocol was standardized for easy mass propagation of W. somnifera using leaf explant.

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