Abstract

An experiment was carried out to examine the effects of different combinations of plant growth regulators on the in vitro micropropagation of Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. D. kotschyi, of the family Lamiaceae, which is rich in aromatic essential oils and valuable for its pharmaceutical, aromatic and culinary properties. The present study showed the procedure for propagation of D. kotschyi using nodal segments from in vitro germinated plants. The highest efficiency and high frequency of root proliferation of shoot formation after 30 days occurred in the medium MS containing 2 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) plus 0.5 mg/L α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). After hardening, the rooted plants were transferred to the greenhouse condition where they normally grew, matured and flowered with a survival rate of 90 to 95%. We concluded that the present protocol can be efficiently used for mass propagation of D. kotschyi.

Key words: Dracocephalum kotschyi, Lamiaceae, explant, medicinal.

Abbreviation

BAP, 6-benzylaminopurine; IBA, indole-3-butyric acid; KIN, kinetin; NAA, α-naphthalene acetic acid; AC, activated charcoal.