An efficient plant regeneration protocol from petiole explants of physic nut (<i>Jatropha curcas</i> L.)

Abstract

Efficient and reproducible method for the in vitro regeneration of Jatropha curcas plants has been developed through direct shoot buds induction from petiole explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with different concentrations 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^-1 indole-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.

Keywords: Jatropha curcas, thidiazuron, petiole, shoot buds, plantlets