Conservation strategy, phytochemical diversity, and genetic consistency assessment of in vitro propagated perennial herb Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medik

This study has developed efficient protocols for callus induction and mass propagation as well as reports phytochemical and genetic profile of the wild and acclimatized V. hirundinaria plant. Friable green and soft off-white texture callus was observed from seeds and leaf explant with frequency of 85 to 92% and 75 to 90% respectively. Earliest shoot buds initiation 13 d was noticed on media fortified with 1.0 mg L −1 BAP and 1.0 mg L −1 NAA, while highest shoot proliferation (4.20) was observed with 0.5 mg L −1 kinetin and 0.5 mg L −1 NAA. Earliest rooting (15 d) was achieved with 1.0 mg L −1 BAP and 0.5 mg L −1 IBA, while maximum root length (6.1 cm) was recorded on medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L −1 BAP and 1.5 mg L −1 IBA. The in vitro raised plantlets were acclimatized with 76% survival rate. Moreover, in phytochemical investigation, maximum sugar contents (756.65 µM mL −1 ), proline (15.31 mg g −1 ), ascorbic acid (352.54 mM g −1 ), phenolic (1162.66 mg L −1 ), and anthocyanin contents (33.13 mg kg −1 ) were observed in in vitro propagated plant. In molecular fingerprinting, eight IRAPs markers successfully generated a total of 336 reproducible bands. The number of fragments ranged from 35 to 49 with an average of 42 bands per primer. Cluster analysis showed 100% uniformity between mother source and in vitro propagated plant. High survival rate, secondary metabolites production along with its genetic consistency validates the efficiency of the reported protocol for V. hirundinaria . Furthermore, the result may facilitate effort aiming at conservation programs of the species as well as may allow sustainable supply of the plant material for potential utilization at commercial levels.