PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

An efficient method for rapid propagation of Rauvolfia serpentina has been developed in present investigation. Nodal segments and leaf discs were cultured on MS medium amended with diverse auxins and cytokinins in varying concentrations as sole as well as in various combinations. For nodal segment culture, basal MS media supplemented with 2, 4-D/ NAA at the concentration of 2.0 mgl^-1 as sole or in combination with 0.5mgl^-1 TDZ were proved significantly superior for callus initiation. Higher shoot proliferating efficiency, number of shoots per explant and mean shoot length were documented on culture media fortified with TDZ in the range of 0.2-0.5 mgl^-1 as alone as well as in combination with 0.5mgl^-1NAA (more than 92% nodal segments proliferated shoots, >10.5 shoots/explant and mean shoot length>3.85 cm). However, for cultured leaf disc, maximum callus and morphogenic callus formation as well as plantlet regeneration were documented on nutrient media fortified with 2.0 mgl^-1 auxins: 2,4-D and/or NAA in combination with 0.5mgl^-1 of a cytokinin BA and/or TDZ ( more than 76% leaf discs induced mrophogenic calli with >80% regeneration frequencies). Higher in vitro rooting response (root proliferating efficiency, number of roots and mean root length) was exhibited by MS rooting medium amended with 0.1 mgl^-1IBA.