Abstract

Tissue culture of selected species of medicinal plants, bamboos and rattans were carried out to develop methods for micropropagation. In two bamboo species viz., Bambusa bambos and Dendrocalamus hamiltonii successful micropopagation was carried out using seedlings. Mutiplication of shoots and rooting was obtained on a cytokinin containing medium. Shoot mutiplication was higher in liquid medium than on solid medium. In vitro flowering was also observed in shoot cultures of B.bambos. Nodal explants taken from mature culms of B.Baombos, B. bambos var.gigantiea, B vulgaris and thyrsostachys oliverii formed mutiple shoots on cytokinin contain madium but further maintenance of shoot cultures or rooting of the shoots was not obtained. Micropropagation wascarried out in three species of rattans, vix., Calamus thwaitessii, C.pseudotenuis and C.hookerianus, from embryos isolated from seeds. Shoots multiplication was obtained on a solid medium containing cytokinins. Optimal multiplication was obtained on a medium supplemented with 3mg/l of kin and 1 mg/1 of BAP. Multiplication was also possible in a liquid medium without shaking. Rooting was induced by transfer of shoots to a medium containing 1 mg/1 IBA for 48 hrs followed by a hormone free medium. Plantlets transferred to a soil-vermiculate (2:1) mixture and hardened in a mist propagation chamber for 8 weeks, survived and continued to grow. Plantlets with 3-6 shoots could be produced by rooting entire clusters of multiple shoots in C.thwaitessi. Somatic embryo and plantlets were also induced in cultures of C.hookerianus. Micropropagation of a medicinal plants plant- kaempferia galanga was done using rhizome buds. Shoots multiplication and rooting was obtained on media containing 0.5-5 mg/1 of Bap or Kin. More than 80 of the plantlets transferred to soil survived without any hardening. Plantlets were grown in the field with control plants produced from rhizomes. After one year of growth, micropropagated plants produced from rhizomes that were thinner and more branched than the controls, but the total rhizome weight per plant were similar. Micropropagation of Malaxiz rheedii - a medicinal orchid was attempted from pseudobulbils. Prolific multiple shoot formation was obtained from axillary buds after 3-4subcultures on cytokinin containing medium. Rooting was observed on a charcoal containing medium after a breif auxion treatment, but planntlets did not survive. Micropropagation of a medicinal tree - Wrightia tinctoria was attempted from seedlings and leaf parts. Callus formation was induced on a wide range of auxin containing media but regeneration of plantlets was not obtained on any of the media tested