Abstract

A highly reproducible and efficient in vitro shoot regeneration system was developed for Polyscias balfouriana using apical shoot tips as explants. Explants after surface sterilization were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) (1962) medium supplemented with different concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 mg/l) of 6- Benzylamino purine (BAP), Thidiazuron (TDZ) and Kinetin (Kin), alone as well as in combination with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mg/l). The highest rate of shoot multiplication (15.20 ± 0.86 for the average shoot number and 6.30 ± 0.84 cm for shoot length) was achieved on MS medium supplemented with 1.2 mg/ml BAP and 0.5 mg/ml IBA. The effect of sucrose and pH of MS medium on shoot proliferation was also tested. An average of 19.2 ± 0.34 shoots per explants with 6.90 ± 0.15 cm shoot length could be obtained by optimizing these two parameters. Rooting was achieved on micro shoots using MS medium with 3.0 mg/ml IBA. The in vitro developed healthy plantlets were successfully shifted to greenhouse for acclimatization.

Key words: Cytokinins, sucrose, pH, adventitious shoot, regeneration, Polyscias balfouriana.