Abstract:
For high rate multiplication of different medicinal plants, it is necessary to standardize the protocol for high regeneration. The efficiency of any regeneration is primarily depends on factors like type of explants used, composition of the medium and type of genotype. Here we have developed a regeneration protocol using in vitro grown seedling explants of Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC (Salparni) a medicinal plant through somatic embryogenesis. Explants from in vitro grown seedlings were cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s basal medium with BA at different concentrations for callus initiation. Different explants cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of BA (0.1-1.0 mg L-1) produced friable non-embryogenic callus (brownish white) with many small, smooth, rounded, discreet and greenish unit of embryogenic callus within the first week of inoculation. For induction of somatic embryogenesis, these friable embryonic callus derived from cotyledon, hypocotyl, epicotyl and leaf explants were transferred to MS medium supplemented with various growth regulators like BA, Kn, 2,4-D, NAA, CH (casein hydrolysate) and BA with 3% glucose. Most of the somatic embryos derived from the induction medium germinated like normal embryos producing both tap root and shoot on regeneration medium and also greenish sprouted embryoids with only roots or shoots or secondary somatic embryos i.e., clusters of embryos or poly embryos are found. Only shoots measuring 3 cm or more derived from somatic embryos were excised and planted on semi solid basal medium supplemented with varying concentrations of IBA for induction of rooting. All the explants in the medium containing BA 0.5 mg L-1 responded high. In the higher concentration of BA all the explants produced non-regenerative hard callus. However, the cotyledon is best explants over all to produce plants through somatic embryogenesis. Somatic embryogenesis derived plantlets of D. gangeticum showed 77% of survival. The in vitro propagation protocol standardized can be highly useful in raising quality planting materials of Desmodium gangeticum for commercial plantation programmes.
Puspasree Puhan and S.P. Rath, 2012. Induction, Development and Germination of Somatic Embryos from In vitro Grown Seedling Explants in Desmodium gangeticum L.: A Medicinal Plant. Research Journal of Medicinal Plant, 6: 346-369.
Subscribe Today 
