In vitro callus induction and plantlet regeneration of Achyranthes aspera L.,a high value medicinal plant

Objective:To study callus induction from different explants(internode,leaf,root)and in vitro plantlets propagation from medicinally important plant Achyranthes aspera L.Methods:Sterilized explants were prepared by uning 0.1%HgCl_2 and 0.5%Bavistin and callus was obtained when cultured onto Murashige Skoog's(MS)medium by using different concentrations and combination of 2,4-D.NAA.BAP,IAA,IBA with 3%sucrose and 0.8%agar.Induced callus was immediately transferred to MS medium containing at different concentrations of phytohormones for shootlets and rootlets induction respectively.Results:Sterilization treatment of 0.1%HgCl_2.for 2-3 min and Bavistin 0.5%for 10-12 min showed the highest percentage of asepsis and survival rate.Maximum induction of callus was obtained from a combination of 2.0 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/L NAA from leaf.Highest shootlets number(4.83±0.l7)and length(3.8±0.16)cm were observed on full strength MS medium when fortified with BAP 4.0 mg/L and KIN 0.5 mg/L.Concerted efforts of BAP 10 mg/L and NAA 0.5 mg/L on full strength MS medium showed highest leaf number(6.77±0.94).In vitro raised shoots were allowed to root on different strengths of MS medium fortified with IAA and IBA at different concentrations.Experimentally,3.0 mg/L IBA was enabled to induce maximum rootlets number(10.0±9.82)on full strength MS medium.Afterwards,regenerated shoots with well developed roots were successfully subjected to hardening process and were acclimatized.The survived plantlets showed 66.67%survival frequency without any morphological abnormality.Conclusions:The results demonstrated that different explants were good source of callus induction,morphology analysis as well as indirect plantlets regeneration.