Induction of Multiple Shoots from Shoot Tip Explants of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)
P. Sangeetha
Department of Biotechnology, Periyar University, Salem-636011, TN, India.
P. Venkatachalam
Department of Biotechnology, Periyar University, Salem-636011, TN, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study is focused on induction of multiple shoots from shoot tip explants of cucumber. Shoot tip explants were excised from 11-day-old seedlings and cultured on MS medium fortified with different concentrations of BAP alone (0.5-2.5 mg/l) and/ or in combination with 0.5 mg/l KIN. The highest number of multiple shoot formation was noticed on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP. The elongated shoots were excised and cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of IBA (Indole 3- butyric acid) 0.5-2.5 mg/l along with 0.5 mg/l KIN. For rooting, shoots (>2cm) were culture on MS medium containing different concentrations (0.5-2.5 mg/l) of IBA alone and/or in combination 0.5 mg/l KIN. Among the IBA concentrations used, IBA (1.5 mg/l) and KIN (0.5 mg/l) combination was induced maximum percent of rooting (90%) with 7.4 roots/shoot. Rooted plantlets were successfully transferred into plastic cups containing a mixture of soil and sand in the ratio of 1:1 and established in the green house and subsequently acclimatized in the field.
Keywords: Multiple shoot induction, Cucumis sativus, Micropropagation