IN VITRO PROPAGATION METHODES OF SNAPDRAGON (Antirrhinum majus.L) PLANT.

The present investigation was carried out to study the direct and indirectmicropropagation of Antirrhinum majus In order to reduce the cost of production and to ensure the production of genetically identical ornamental plantlets for further field culture as well as for medium- term conservation for future use and research. For the direct micropropagation addition of 70.0 % Ethyl alcohol for 30 sec and 30.0% commercial Clorox (1.30% NaOCl) for 5.00 minute were the best treatment for seeds sterilization. Hypocotyl, cotyledon and cotyledonary node were excised from in vitro grown seedlings. These explants were cultured for adventitious shoot regeneration. Using MS medium supplemented with BAP at 0.50 and 1.00 mg/L produced the highest shoots number of 13.50 shoots for both of them. Microshoots were rooted on MS medium containing IBA, IAA or NAA at 0.0, 0.50, 1.00 or 2.00 mg/L. Ninety percent of the microshoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with 0.50 and 1.0 mg/L IBA. The rooting which achieved on medium fortified with NAA at 0.50 mg/L significantly recorded the highest roots number of 12.83 roots. A total of 90% survival was achieved and an increase in shoots length (12.71cm) when rooted explants were acclimatized ex vitro using 1: 1 soil: vermiculite mixture. On the other hand, for indirect micropropagation, explants successfully formed callus by using MS medium supplemented with TDZ at 1.00, 2.00 or 4.00 mg/L. The highest shoots number derived from callus was recorded for callus cultured on MS medium fortified with 2.00 mg/L TDZ + 0.50 mg/L NAA.