Regeneration of Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. using in vitro nodes: an alternative method for efficient multiplication of shoots

In vivo nodes of Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. induced healthy multiple shoots with branching in our earlier studies and thus in the present study, potency of in vitro nodes to regenerate shoots was evaluated. In vitro nodes were excised from eight-week-old shoots and placed in Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium fortified with sucrose (3%) and different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and kinetin (Kn). After eight weeks, optimum of 5.42 ± 0.36 shoots with 100% response were regenerated in medium supplemented with BA (10 µM) and Kn (5 µM). These healthy shoots were placed in full, half and quarter strengths of liquid MS medium fortified with sucrose (1%) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA, 1-25 µM) for rooting. Among all the strengths of MS medium, full strength MS medium having 8 µM NAA formed maximum of 3.42 ± 0.55 roots (91.67% response) within four weeks. The protocol is in continuation with earlier study and it was confirmed that a single in vivo nodal explant can regenerate around 385 healthy elongated shoots within 4 months, which will help in mass-propagation of the species.