EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON IN-VITRO PROPAGATION OF BARLERIA PRIONITIS L. - A THREATENED MEDICINAL PLANT.

Abstract

Barleria prionitis L. is a threatened medicinal plant belongs to Acanthaceae family. No protocol has been developed yet for plant regeneration of this important medicinal plant. The objective of this study was to develop an efficient in vitro propagation protocol for Barleria prionitis L. Significantly more shoots (10 shoots per nodal explants) were induced on a medium containing 0.4mg/l thidiazuron (TDZ) and 1.5mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BA)  than any other treatment. Sub-culturing regenerated maximum rate of shoot multiplication on a medium with 5.0 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) with 2.0 mg/l ά-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). In-vitro produced shoots exhibited good rooting response in half strength MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of auxins. After 40 days of hardening of plantlets almost 99% of rooted plants could be successfully transferred and acclimatized ex-vitro under poly-house conditions, followed by their establishment in the field.