SHOOT PROLIFERATION AND MULTIPLICATION FROM NODES OF ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA

Abstract

Advanced biotechnological researches and exploitation of pharmacological potential of Andrographis paniculata Nees (Acanthaceae) require spontaneous and reliable in vitro propagation protocol. The purpose of the present study was to develop a reliable methodology for the high frequency direct shoot regeneration from nodal explants. Efforts were made for the in vitro shoot regeneration by collecting explants by two approaches: in vitro raised seeds and mother plants from greenhouse. The regeneration was carried out on the Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin (Kn) and 2- isopentenyl adenine (2iP) at concentrations of 0.5 - 2.5 mg l^-1 and BAP (2.0 mg l^-1) in combination with other cytokinins like Kn (0.5-2.0 mg l^-1) and auxins like 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at concentrations of 0.1- 0.5 mg l^-1 by using nodal explants. Among all the combinations tried, MS medium supplemented with BAP (2.0 mg l^-1) and NAA (0.5 mg l^-1) gave the maximum of 28.0 of shoots per explant. For the induction of roots, regenerated shoots were cultured on MS medium supplemented with NAA, IAA and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) at concentrations of 0.5- 3.0 mg l^-1. 100% rooting was observed on transferring the cultures to full strength MS medium supplemented with IBA (3.0 mg l^-1).