CALLUS INDUCTION FROM INVIVO EXPLANTS (COTYLEDONARY NODE, LEAF AND SHOOT TIP) OF PEGANUM HARMALA

Abstract

Peganum harmala is medicinally rich herbaceous plant due to presence of valuable metabolites such as; harmine, harmaline, harmalol etc. This ethnomedicinal plant is at the edge of extinction in Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. For the purpose of conservation of this precious plant micropropagation technique has been applied. It was estimated from the study that wildly grown peganum harmala i.e., invivo explants (cotyledonary nodes, leaves and shoot tips) were capable to induce callus at the concentration of 0.5 to 2.0 mg/l NAA and 0.5 to 2.5 mg/l BAP. Best callus induction obtained were; 1, 1.5 mg/l(NAA, BAP) for cotyledonary nodes, 0.5, 1 mg/l (NAA, BAP) for leaves and 2, 2.5 mg/l(NAA, BAP) for shoot tips. Indirect shoot induction was observed only in invivo cotyledonary nodes at the concentration of 0.5, 1.5(NAA, BAP) and 1, 1.5(NAA, BAP). Leaves and shoot tips were unresponsive for indirect shoot induction. All three invivo explants were unresponsive for direct shoot induction too.