Micropropagation and in vitro flowering in Pentanema indicum Ling

Abstract

In this study we have investigated micropropagation and in vitro flowering for a medicinally important plant Pentanema indicum. Maximum callus proliferation was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mgl(-1) BAP and 1.0 mgl(-1) IBA. The best shoot regeneration (19 +/- 1.0) was achieved in five weeks when callus was cultured on MS medium amended with 4.0 mgl-1 BAP and 1.0 mgl(-1) IAA. Direct multiple shoot initiation was also obtained from shoot tip and nodal explants in the presence of BAP and IAA. Addition of adenine sulfate (1.0 mgl(-1)) to the regeneration medium increased the shoot multiplication. Regenerated shoots rooted best on MS medium containing 2.0 mgl(-1) IBA. Multiple shoots regenerated from callus, shoot tip and nodal explants flowered (90%) in vitro on a MS medium fortified with 2.0 mgl(-1) IBA. Plantlets were successfully acclimatized in a soil condition and the survival rate was 96%.