Rapid Multiplication of <i>Rauvolfia serpentina</i> Benth. Ex. Kurz through Tissue Culture

Abstract

Rauvofia serpentina Benth. ex Kurz (Apocynaceae) is a highly important medicinal plant growing in the terai belts of Nepal. This plant is facing a high threat from various kinds of poachers in the wild due to improper ways of collection as well as almost no conservation strategy. In the present study, we have identified the way for rapid in vitro multiplication of this species using tissue culture technique as an effective tool for ex situ conservation. In this study, MS medium along with BAP and NAA alone or in combinations at different concentrations have given successful results in producing callus, multiple adventitious shoots both from callus and nodes and multiple roots from both callus as well as nodes. The in vitro as well as ex vitro rooting of the micro shoots have been achieved. The rooted seedlings have been successfully acclimatized. The best media for shoot multiplication from the node and callus cultures have been identified as MS + NAA 0.5 + BAP 0.5 ppm and MS + BAP 2.0 ppm, respectively. For rooting in and ex vitro, NAA has been found to be the best among auxins. For callus induction all the auxins specially NAA 1.0 ppm and 2,4-D 2.0 ppm have been found to be the best.

 Keywords: Micropropagation; Rauvolfia serpentina; In vitro rooting; Pulse treatment and acclimatization.  

DOI: 10.3126/sw.v6i6.2635

Scientific World, Vol. 6, No. 6, July 2008 58-62