Abstract

Efficient and reproducible method for the in vitro regeneration of Jatropha curcasplants has been developed through direct shoot buds induction from petiole explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with differentconcentrations of thidiazuron (TDZ). The highest percentage of shoot buds induction (64.0%) was observed on MS medium supplemented with 0.52 mgL^-1 TDZ with organic additives; adenine sulphate (50 mgL^-1) + glutamine (100 mgL^-1) + L-arginine (25 mgL^-1) + citric acid (0.0025%) + ascorbic acid (0.005%). A maximum of six shoots per explant were elongated when explants with induced shoot buds were transferred on MS medium containing 3.0 mgL^-1 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 1.0 mgL^-1indole-3-butyric acid (IBA). The regenerated shoots were rooted on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mgL^-1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 0.2 mgL^-1 IBA. The rooted plantlets were established in soil with more than 90% survival.

Key words: Jatropha curcas, thidiazuron, petiole, shoot buds, plantlets.

Abbreviation

Abbreviations: BA, 6-Benzyladenine; IAA, indole-3-acetic acid; IBA, indole-3-butyric acid; MS, Murashige and Skoog’s medium; NAA, α-naphthalene acetic acid; TDZ,thidiazuron.