Abstract

An efficient micropropagation protocol was developed for the medicinal plant Launaea cornuta using green house axillary buds as explants. The best sterility was obtained at 30% (v/v) local bleach (JIK). Maximum shoot induction rate was achieved when axillary buds were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) Media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) for 3 weeks. The highest number of shoot multiplication was obtained when induced shoots were culture on MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L NAA for 30 days. The best rooting response with regard to average root length, rooting percentage and number of roots was achieved within 4 weeks of culture of excised shoots on MS media having 0.5 mg/L BAP. Regenerated plants were successfully acclimatized and about 80 to 90% of plantlets survived under ex vitro conditions. About 170 plants were produced from a single nodal bud of L. cornuta after 60 days. A reproducible protocol was established for in vitro propagation of L. cornuta, an important indigenous vegetable with high medicinal value.

Key words: Launaea cornuta, tissue culture, micropropagation, axillary buds, tissue culture.