High Frequency Plant Regeneration from Leaf Callus Cultures of Embelia ribes Burm. - A threatened Medicinal Plant
K. Shankarmurthy
Department of Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta-577 451, Karnataka, India
V. Krishna *
Department of Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta-577 451, Karnataka, India
K. R. Maruthi
Department of Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta-577 451, Karnataka, India
Y. P. Nagaraja
Department of Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta-577 451, Karnataka, India
B. A. Rahiman
Department of Biotechnology, Kuvempu University, Shankaraghatta-577 451, Karnataka, India
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
An efficient protocol for rapid regeneration of plantlets have been standardized through leaf callus culture of Embelia ribes Burm.- a threatened woody medicinal shrub of the Western Ghats. Tender leaf segments proliferate into luxuriant mass of callus on Murashige and Skoog�s (MS) medium supplemented with 2 mg/l 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/l Kn. The combination of BAP and NAA at the range of 2 to 3.5 mg/l and 0.2 to 0.6 mg/l respectively, provoked the leaf calli to differentiate into multiple shoot and root initials. Highest number of shoot buds (81 � 2.45 per callus) and regeneration of optimal number of root intact shoots (62 � 2.54 per callus) were noticed at the concentration 2.5 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA. 95% regenerants were well acclimatized to the natural condition.
Keywords: Leaf callus, Rapid regeneration, Embelia ribes, Threatened, Woody medicinal plant