SHOOT REGENERATION FROM NODAL SEGMENTS OF Saurauia punduana Wallich: A THREATENED THERAPEUTICALLY IMPORTANT PLANT

This paper reports an efficient protocol for in vitro plant regeneration from nodal segments
collected from the nodal explants of Saurauia punduana, a threatened therapeutically important
plant. Nodal segments of ~7 wk old plants were collected during December and cultured on MS
medium containing sucrose (3%, w/v), PVP (300 mg L-1) and BA (9 μM) where ~66.7% nodal
segments responded within 5-6 d of culture and formed 5 shoot buds per node. Shoot buds
proliferated into micro shoots on MS medium containing sucrose (3%) and BA (9 μM). In each subsubculture
~5-6 micro shoots developed. Shoot buds with fully opened leaves were rooted on MS
medium enriched with 10 μM IBA where ~5 roots per micro shoot developed in ~43% micro shoots.
Rooted plantlets were hardened on 1/4th MS medium containing sucrose (1%) and maintained
under normal laboratory conditions for 5-6 wk. The rooted plantlets were hardened by culturing on
coconut coir as substratum and 1/4th MS liquid medium containing sucrose (1%) under normal
laboratory condition where ~72% regenerates survived during hardening stage. The partially
hardened transplants were transferred to potting mix and maintained in shade condition before
transferring to wild. About 62% transplants survived after two months of transfer.