In vitro propagation of Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Muell. Arg.

Abstract

An in vitro propagation protocol was developed for Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Muell. Arg. (Euphorbiaceae), a potential medicinal plant for antiinflammatory drug development. Nodal segments and shoot tips from 2 month-old appearing shoots were aseptically cultured on solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with three cytokinins alone and in combination with 1- naphthylacetic acid (NAA) to induce shoot formation for 8 weeks. Of the three cytokinins tested (6-benzylaminopurine (BA), isopentenylaminopurine (2iP), and kinetin (Kin)), BA induced shoot development most efficiently. The best shoot regeneration rate (3.36 shoots/response explant) was obtained when the explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 4.44 μM BA. Addition of 0.54 μM NAA to the media suppressed shoot induction rate. The regenerated shoots were excised and then cultured on MS medium containing 10.74-53.71 μM NAA for rooting. The best root induction (73.08%) was revealed using MS medium supplemented with 32.23 μM NAA. Regenerated plants were successfully transferred to soil and grown under greenhouse conditions. The stem of the regenerants will be chemically analysed to compare with their mother plants. © ISHS 2005.