In vitro Shoot Multiplication of Bupleurum disticho-phyllum Wight - A Native Medicinal Plant of Southern India

Shoot multiplication of Bupleurum distichophyllum was achieved from the nodal and shoot tip explants of mature plants using MS with different concentrations and combinations of growth regulators. Maximum explant response was from axillary shoots and the highest number of shoots per explant was obtained on MS fortified with 1.0 mg/l BAP. The highest degree of axillary shoot proliferation was found to be 74 and 70% for nodal- and shoot tip explants, respectively on the medium containing 1.0 mg/l BAP + 0.1 mg/l NAA. The combination of BAP and GA3 was also found to be effective for both type of explants. The degree of shoot formation was affected by explant types and the exogenous hormonal regime in the medium. The regenerated shoots were successfully rooted on MS supplemented with 2.0 mg/l IBA, after sequential hardening, survival rate was 71%. Key words: Bupleurum distichophyllum, Medicinal plant, Micropropagation, Conservation Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 17(2): 115-124, 2007 (December) DOI: 10.3329/ptcb.v17i2.2574