<i style="">In vitro</i> propagation of<i style=""> Ceropegia bulbosa</i> using nodal segments

Abstract

<i style="">In vitro</i> propagation of <i style="">Ceropegia bulbosa,</i> a threatened species has been achieved, which could be used to conserve it. Initially, nutrient media used were basal MS medium and MS media supplemented with cytokinins, BAP (2.22-8.87 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) or kinetin (2.32-9.29 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) or TDZ (2.27-9.08 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) with combination of GA (0.58 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) and NAA (0.27 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) Nodal explants were used for establishing <i style="">in vitro </i>cultures. Mercuric chloride eliminated the contamination effectively from nodal explants after treating with Bavistin and Streptomycin with a good survival rate. One or two buds developed from a node after two weeks. BAP (4.44 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) with GA (0.58 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) and NAA (0.27 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) showed highest frequency of formation of shoots (85%). Microshoots were transferred on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of auxins IAA (2.85-11.42 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) and NAA (2.69-10.74 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) with BAP (3.55 µ<i style="">M</i>/L) for rooting. IAA (11.42 µM/L) with BAP (3.55 µ<i style="">M</i>/ L) showed highest rooting percentage. The rooted plantlets were acclimatized and hardened successfully within ten days of transferring them into plastic cups containing sterilized vermiculite for hardening.