Vol. 8, Issue 3 (2019)

Author(s):
T Binish and N Jothi Nayagi

Abstract:
Several medicinal plants become endangered because of increasing biotic pressure on natural habitats and over exploitation. An efficient protocol was described for the rapid In vitro shoot multiplication and conservation of endangered, valuable and rare medicinal herb Ceropegia candelabrum Var. candelabrum. Nodal explants cultured on growth regulators free MS medium became necrotic and shown no sign of active growth. They were placed on full strength MS medium fortified with sucrose supplemented with different concentrations of two commonly used cytokinins (BAP/ KN (0- 2.5 mg/L) either alone or in combination with three auxins (NAA, IAA and IBA (0-2.5 mg/L). The initial rate of shoot regeneration from Ceropegia candelabrum was very low. Maximum shoot buds proliferated on MS medium containing 2mg/l of BAP and repeated sub culture on BAP (2mg/l) promoted further shoot multiplication. The best rooting was noticed in half strength MS basal medium containing 5% sucrose and 1.5mg/l of IBA. Sprouting of axillary buds and development of adventitious shoots at basal ends was seen (in 85% shoots) after two weeks of culture period. The regenerated plantlets were hardened and established in natural soil with 90% survival rate. The developed micropropagation protocol would help in Ex-situ conservation of this endangered species.