An optimum protocol for propagation of Bauhinia purpurea L. by plant tissue culture technique

Abstract

This study was carried out at Agricultural Research Centre, Sidi Al-Massri Station, Tripoli – Libya during 2016-2017 to optimize micro-propagation protocol of Bauhinia purpurea L. Contamination-free shoots were obtained from Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Agricultural Research Centre. These shoots were cut into single nodes of 1.0 cm in length with single bud, and then cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) or Lloyd and McCown medium (WPM) containing different concentrations of growth regulator (KIN) alone or with 1 mg/L Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) to study its effect on shoot multiplication. The results exhibited that the best media for shoots multiplication was MS supplemented with 1.5 mg/L KIN and 1.0 mg/L NAA, which provided highest shoot number and shoot length and leaves number (3.6, 7.3 cm, 6.3) respectively. For rooting, shoots were sub cultured on ¼MS, ½MS or full strength MS basal salts media supplemented with different NAA concentrations with or without 0.3% activated charcoal. The results revealed that shoots cultured on ½MS supplemented with 5 mg/L NAA and 0.3% activated charcoal accomplished the highest in rooting percentage (66.6%), roots number (3.6/ shoot), and root length (2.8 cm).