Abstract

Tissue culture technique can be used for normal callus culture and regeneration of a new clone. Nowadays the technique is used for establishment of dual culture of host and parasite, and regeneration of disease free plants. Normal callus was established and maintained on MS-medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP, 1.0 mgl^-1) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA, 4.0 mgl^-1). Efficient shoot bud and regeneration of cumin plant from callus was observed on combination of Kinetin (0.5 mgl^-1) + indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, 1.0 mgl^-1), BAP (0.1 mgl^-1) + NAA (1.0 mgl^-1) with 25 mgl^-1 adenine sulphate (AS). Dual culture of Alternaria burnsii on cumin (Cuminum cyminum) callus was established on MS medium by using infected seeds. Dual culture was developed on MS-medium supplemented with NAA (4.0 mgl^-1), BAP (1.0 mgl^-1), biotin (1.0 mgl^-1), thiamine hydrochloride (1.0 mgl^-1), ascorbic acid (25.0 mgl^-1) and casein hydrolysate (1.0 mgl^-1). The dual culture developed from the infected seeds which were surface sterilized, indicates that the blight disease is basically seed borne in nature. Casein hydrolysate (1.0 mgl^-1) and ascorbic acid (25 mgl^-1) was found to be best for the growth of the fungus in the dual culture. It was concluded that the study can be used for disease free plants and enhance the growth of the fungus through control the nutrients from the host during disease development.

Key words: Cumin, Alternaria burnsii, callus, dual culture.

Abbreviation

Kn, Kinetin; BAP, 6-benzylaminopurine; NAA, naphthalene acetic acid; IAA, indole-3-acetic acid; IBA, indole butyric acid; 2-4D, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid; MS, Murashige and Skoog medium