XVI International Botanical Congess

Hildegardia populnifolia (Roxb.0 Schott. & Endl. Is an endangered species of unknown potentiality. In the natural habitat although the seed set is prolific, most of the seeds turn infertile. Even the few seeds that are viable lose their germination vigor gradually and become inviable altogether within a span of 10 months. A protocol has been developed to micropropagate Hildegantia populnifolia through axillary shoot proliferation and somatic embryogenesis. Germination could be achieved with special effort. Somatic embryos could be induced from radicular part of immature zygotic embryos on MS medium containing either NAA (3mg/l) in combination with CH (0.1%) or glutamine (400mg/l). 2-3 shoots could be induced in cultures of mesocotyl node on MS medium with BAP (2mg-1), but growth was slow. The shoots were rooted on MS Medium containing NAA (2mg/1).