Abstract

Bamboo plant is an important biodegradable raw material which can play important role in rejuvenation of Indian rural economy through positively impacting agricultural, industrial, energy and in environmental sectors. Traditional methods of vegetative propagation of this plant have insufficient multiplication rate. In the present investigation, in vitro bud break and aseptic culture establishment in relation to different seasons of Bihar were evaluated for large scale clonal propagation of two commercially important bamboo species, Bambusa tulda Roxb. and Dendrocalamus stocksii Munro. The experiment was conducted thrice using a completely randomized design with 10 replicate per treatment. Mean calculation was performed using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at P<0.05. Summer climate (April-June) was the most congenial season for initiation and establishment of aseptic cultures.  6 Benzylaminopurine (BAP) without supplementation of any additive resulted in significant bud breakage in B. tulda, however, in case of D. stocksii, Thidiazurone (TDZ) with the additives resulted in comparatively better response. For multiplication, BAP (2.5 mg/l) showed maximum number of shoots (24±6.2) in D. stocksii. However, in B. tulda high multiplication rate with adequate shoot length was observed in semi solid media supplemented with BAP (1 mg/l). For both the species, the survival rate during hardening (primary and secondary) was maximum during monsoon season. The refined in vitro regeneration system of two commercially important bamboo species developed is efficient and will be an impetus to raising bamboo nurseries of elite germplasm for bamboo growing areas of Bihar.

Key words: MS media, clonal propagation, in vitro regeneration, phytohormones, 6benzylaminopurine, thidiazurone.