IN VITRO MICROPROPAGATION STUDIES ON SHOOT TIP EXPLANTS OF SOLANUM TORVUM (SWARTZ) – AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT

In vitro micropropagation protocol was developed for the annual medicinal herb Solanum torvum (Solanaceae) by the in vitro culture of shoot tip explants of mature plant. Shoot tips of 30-35 days old field grown eggplants were used for shoot tip explants culture of in vitro micropropagation. Surface sterilization of shoot tips was found to be the best in 0.1% HgCl2 solution for Three minutes. For primary establishment of isolated shoot tip on  MS medium fortified with  (BAP/Kn/TDZ) (0.5-5.0 mg/L), IAA (0.5 mg/L)+ (BAP/KN/TDZ) (1.0-3.0 mg/L) for multiple shoot induction. Multiple shoots proliferation was best observed at IAA (0.5 mg/L) + (3.0 mg/L) TDZ from the shoot explants within four weeks of culture. Shoot number per explants ranged between 2 and 6 Individual shoots were aseptically excised and sub cultured in the same media for shoot elongation. The elongated shoots were transferred to IBA (1.0mg/L–3.0mg/L) for root induction. Rooting was observed within two weeks of culture. Rooted plantlets were successfully hardened under culture conditions and subsequently established in the field conditions. The recorded survival rate of the plants was 86%. Plants looked healthy with no visually detectable phenotypic variations. The plantlets (12–16- week-old) were successfully acclimatized in soil with 87% survival frequency