Multiple shoot induction from cotyledonary node explants of Terminalia chebula

Abstract

A protocol for multiple shoot induction from cotyledonary node explants of Terminalia chebula Retz. has been developed. Germination frequency of embryos (up to 100 %) was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.5 mg dm-3 gibberellic acid (GA3). Maximum number of shoots (6.4 shoots per cotyledonary node) was obtained on half-strength MS + 0.3 mg dm-3 GA3 + 1.0 mg dm-3 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) + 10.0 mg dm-3 benzylaminopurine (BAP) after 4 weeks of culture. When the cotyledonary nodes along with the axillary shoot buds were allowed to grow in the same medium upto 19.2 shoots were obtained after 8 - 9 weeks. Best rooting (100 %, 5.5 roots per shoot) was observed when shoots were excised and transferred to half-strength MS medium containing 1.0 mg dm -3 IBA + 1 % mannitol and 1.5 % sucrose. Survival of rooted plants in vivo was low (35 - 40 %) when they were directly transferred to soil in glasshouse. However, transfer to soil with MS nutrients and 1.0 mg dm -3 IBA in culture room for a minimum duration of 2 weeks increased the survival percentage of plants to 100 %.