Abstract

PROVISION OF LOW COST MEDIA OPTIONS FOR IN VITRO CULTURE OF CARTHAMUS TINCTIORIOUS L.

*Ramesh N. Dhawale, Pooja A. Waghmare and Shaikhdar B.F.N.

ABSTRACT

Efforts have been made to find an alternative gelling agent for agar in plant tissue culture. The study was conducted on commercially important crop plants like safflower. 'Isubgol', the mucilaginous husk, derived from Plantago ovanta was successfully used as a gelling material in tissue culture media. The price of 'Isubgol husk' is cheaper than the conventionally used agar and it had reduced the price of gelling agent approximately by 47.5 % in plant tissue culture media. The use of 'Isubgol husk' along with agar can reduce the cost of gelling agents. The response from media gelled with Isubgol husk in safflower was similar to that from media solidified with agar.

Keywords: Plantago ovate, Safflower, In Vitro culture, Low cost media, Safflower.