Abstract

MICROPROPAGATION OF PLUMBAGO ZEYLANICA – AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT

Dr. H. David Raja, A. Mariya Jenifer, Dr. P. F. Steffi, Dr. B. Thamilmaraiselvi, *P. Srinivasan and R. Tamilvanan

ABSTRACT

An efficient, rapid and reproducible plant regeneration method was successfully developed for Plumbago zeylanica using shoot-tip explants. Plumbago zeylanica is a medicinally important perennial herb of the family Plumbaginaceae. Maximum number of multiple shoots (8 shoots/explant and 85% of response) were obtained from the shoot tip explants on MS medium supplemented with BAP (3.0 mg/l). The well elongated shoots were treated with different concentrations of IBA and IAA for 12 hours to induce the ex vitro rooting. After the 12 hours treatment of IBA and IAA well elongated in vitro propagated shoots were placed in the small poly bags or plastic cups containing mixture of Red soil, Vermiculate and Coconut husk in the ratio of 1:1:1 combination to facilitate the root formation. IBA at 4.0 mg/l was found to be ideal for ex vitro root induction. After the sufficient growth of shoot and root plantlets were transfer to field condition. The field transplantation survival rate was 80 – 85% after 40 days.

Keywords: Micropropagation, Plumbago zeylanica, Shoot tip, Multiple shoots.