Micropropagation of <i>Launaea cornuta</i> - an important indigenous vegetable and medicinal plant

Abstract

An efficient micropropagation protocol was developed for the medicinal plant Launaea cornuta using green house axillary buds as explants. The best sterility was obtained at 30% (v/v) local bleach (JIK). Maximum shoot induction rate was achieved when axillary buds were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) Media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) for 3 weeks. The highest number of shoot multiplication was obtained when induced shoots were culture on MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L NAA for 30 days. The best rooting response with regard to average root length, rooting percentage and number of roots was achieved within 4 weeks of culture of excised shoots on MS media having 0.5 mg/L BAP. Regenerated plants were successfully acclimatized and about 80 to 90% of plantlets survived under ex vitro conditions. About 170 plants were produced from a single nodal bud of L. cornuta after 60 days. A reproducible protocol was established for in vitro propagation of L. cornuta, an important indigenous vegetable with high medicinal value.

Keywords: Launaea cornuta, tissue culture, micropropagation, axillary buds, tissue culture