In Vitro Production of Virus Free Plants in Citrus reticulate
M. Sheshu Madhav *
Scientist (Biotechnology) #66 Hemanth, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, New Delhi-110 012
B. N. Rao
Department of Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India
S. Singh
Department of Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India
P. C. Deka
Department of Biotechnology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Virus free plantlets were successfully produced using meristem tip as explants. Meristem dome with 2 leaf primordial (Size 100-200u) was cultured in modified MS liquid media (M19) containing 4 mg l-1 Thamine, 0.01mg l-1 Riboflavin and 0.01 mg. l-1 GA3 followed by semisolid media of same composition where 86% plant regeneration was noticed with in 28 days of culture. Sixty percent shoot tips culturing on MS modified media (MP3) containing 1.0 mg l-1 BAP, 0.5mg l-1 Kinetin, 0.5 mg l-1 NAA produced multiple shoots (6 shoots per explant) within 5 weeks of culture. Root initiation was achieved, when in vitro developed shoots were transferred to modified MS media (MP7) supplemented with 0.5 mg. l-1 NAA 0.5 mg l-1 IBA, 0.25 mg l-1 BAP with in 4 weeks of Culture. About 50% of in vitro developed plantlets were survivedi n soil and preliminary results of indexing showed the most of plantlets are free from CTV and exocortis Viruses
Keywords: Citrus reticulata, Meristem tip culture, Plant regeneration, Virus free plantlets