ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF BASAL MEDIUM AND HORMONAL SUPPLEMENTS ON IN VITRO MICROPROPAGATION OF PLECTRANTHUS AMBOINICUS

Plectranthus amboinicus plant is known for its traditional and modern pharmacological uses as well as its ornamental value. The high demand for plant harvest necessitates the existence of several alternative commercial propagation protocols. Therefore, the present paper explores the impact of various combinations of basal nutrient media and hormonal supplements on micropropagation for P. amboinicus. The results confirmed that White’s medium at full strength was superior to MS and B5 media with respect to the establishment and proliferation of shoot tip explants. Besides, White’s medium amended with BA at 0.50 mg/l gave a higher shoot number, while hormone-free White’s medium induced the best plant vigor, leaves number and shoot length. In vitro rooting of produced shootlets under a low concentration of IBA (0.250 mg/l) achieved the best survival and rooting percentages (90 and 100%, respectively) as well as length and number of roots (6.40 cm and 9.83 roots/shoot, respectively). The in vitro-raised plantlets were successfully acclimatized with the best survival percentage when cultured on a mixture of peat moss and sand