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Micropropagation of Swertia chirata Buch.-Hams. ex Wall.: a critically endangered medicinal herb

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Abstract

An efficient in vitro plant regeneration protocol for Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham. ex Wall (Gentianaceae), a critically endangered Himalayan medicinal herb, was developed using shoot tip explants derived from in vitro grown seedlings. Media with 2% sucrose and various types of hormones markedly influenced in vitro propagation of S. chirata. An in vitro shootlet production system using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with various hormones such as BAP, KN and TDZ was established. BAP at 1.0 mg/l and KN, 0.1 mg/l induced highest number of multiple shoots (42.16 ± 1.05) per explant. Micro-proliferated shoots were transferred to elongation medium amended with GA3 (0.1 mg/l) and hormone free basal medium, after which they were transferred to rooting medium. The highest frequency of rooting (22.48 ± 1.08) was obtained in half-strength MS medium supplemented with NAA, 0.1 mg/l after testing with different auxins at various concentrations within 4 weeks of transfer to the rooting medium. Hardening was successfully attained under controlled conditions inside the plant tissue culture room. This method could effectively be applied for the conservation and clonal propagation to meet the pharmaceutical demands.

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Abbreviations

BAP:

6-Benzylaminopurine

2,4-D:

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

IBA:

Indole-3-butyric acid

IAA:

Indole-3-acetic acid

KN:

Kinetin

NAA:

α-Naphthalene acetic acid

TDZ:

Thidiazuron

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Acknowledgment

The authors are grateful to the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India, for providing financial assistance (Sanction No. F.31-238/2005(SR) dated 05.04.2006).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Loyola College, Chennai, 600034, India

    K. Balaraju & P. Agastian

  2. Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, Chennai, 600034, India

    S. Ignacimuthu

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  1. K. Balaraju
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  2. P. Agastian
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  3. S. Ignacimuthu
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Correspondence to P. Agastian.

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Communicated by E. Lojkowska.

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Balaraju, K., Agastian, P. & Ignacimuthu, S. Micropropagation of Swertia chirata Buch.-Hams. ex Wall.: a critically endangered medicinal herb. Acta Physiol Plant 31, 487–494 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-008-0257-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-008-0257-0

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