MICROPROPAGATION AND ENCAPSULATION OF MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT CHONEMORPHA GRANDIFLORA

This study describes a protocol for in vitro propagation of Chonemorpha grandiflora (Roth) S.M. & M.R. Almeida (Apocynaceae) through axillary bud proliferation and rooting. For shoot induction, the combination of 13.3 μμM N⁶-benzyladenine (BA) and 2.46 μμM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium was better than other growth regulators. Liquid medium was superior over solid medium for root formation and growth. IBA was more effective than other auxins for root induction. Addition of silver nitrate in the presence of IBA significantly increased the number, length, and branching of roots. Shoot tips encapsulated in medium containing 0.49 μμM IBA and 11.7 μμM silver nitrate exhibited 95%% conversion to plantlets. This protocol enables the production of 250 plantlets from a single nodal explant within 7 mo. Plantlets showed 90%% survival after acclimatization in soil and were morphologically similar to the source plant under field conditions.