PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

Gloriosa superba L., is a valuable endangered medicinal plant where the corms are used for in vivo multiplication. One corm gives only one or at the maximum two plants a year. The present study reports that somatic embryogenesis directly from leaf explants when cultured on basal Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2 mg/l Naphthaleneacetic acid and l mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine. In leaf and internodal cultures where the supplements were 2 mg/l Naphthaleneacetic acid and 0.05-0.15 mg/l l-phenyl-3-(1.2,3-thidiazol-5-yl-urea), root tubers or microcorms were initiated. These root tubers upon transfer to an induction medium containing 2 mg/l Naphthaleneacetic acid and 0.5-1.5 mg/1 6-benzylaminopurine somatic embryos were induced. Transfer of root tubers to Naphthaleneacetic acid and 6-benzylaminopurine combination resulted in the induction of somatic embryos. Maturation of somatic embryos occurred in medium containing 2 mg/l Naphthaleneacetic acid and 0.5 mg/l 6, benzylaminopurine. Abscisic acid at 0.5-1 mg/1 when added resulted in the enhanced recovery of mature embryos. Complete plantlet development occurred in MS medium without growth regulators. The plantlets were hardened and transferred to soil.