Synergistic effect of cytokinins on in vitro propagation of Stereospermum suaveolens using nodal explants

Abstract

The Stereospermum suaveolens DC. is one of the important medicinal tree species and also one of the important constituents of Dashmoolarisht. Owing to its importance an attempt was made to perform in vitro regeneration from nodal explants. Cultures were established by placing the nodal explants on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) and Woody Plant media fortified with different combinations of cytokinins. The in vitro shoots developed were excised into single in vitro nodes and then utilised for multiplication of shoots. Among the various combinations tested in both of the media, the MS medium fortified with benzylaminopurine (8 µM) + thidiazuron (0.2 µM) proved to be effective in inducing a maximum of 10.2 number of shoots by the end of the fifth subculture. In vitro rooting of shoots was best achieved in ½ MS liquid medium fortified with indolebutyric acid (2.5µM), with the highest number of roots (9.3) in 100% cultures. Well rooted in vitro plantlets were successfully hardened under greenhouse conditions, resulting in 100% survival of plants after four weeks of transfer to cocopeat/soil substrate.