ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess


Abstract Number: 5344
Poster No. = 1300


IN VITRO CONSERVATION OF GLORIOSA SUPERBA L - AN OVER EXPLOITED MEDICINAL PLANT SPECIES FROM INDIA


G. Sivakumar and K.V. Krishnamurthy, Dept. of Plant Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India


Gloriosa superba L.documented as iHlamuv in the ancient Ayurvedic texts, has been used in both traditional and folklore systems of medicine in India. The medicinal importance of the drug from this plant is due to the presence of alkaloids, chiefly colchicine, 3-demethyl colchicine and colchicoside. In recent years, the plant has been subjected to thoughtless commercial exploitation resulting in the gradual eradication of this taxon from its natural environment. In natural habitat, seed set is poor and germination does not occur. In view of this, there is an urgent need for developing IN VITRO strategies for its conservation. An efficient IN VITRO protocol has been developed for high frequency induction of shoot buds via organogenesis and embryogenesis from corm bud and leaf segments. Multiple shoot buds were induced on MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylamino purine at various concentrations. Repeated subculture of induced shoots at an interval of 23-26 days enhanced the frequency of multiple shoot induction in subsequent cultures. Callus obtained fron leaf segments on SN medium enriched with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid when subject to reduced concentration of 2,4-D, produced numerous embryoids. Root formation from IN VITRO formed shoots via organogenesis was observed on MS medium supplemented with indole-3-butyric acid.


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