In vitro propagation of Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew.--an endangered ethnoreligious medicinal herb of Himalaya.
This is the first report of a micropropagation protocol for Saussurea obvallata (DC.) Edgew. (Asteraceae), a rare, threatened and near-endemic medicinal herb of the Indian Himalayan region. Multiple shoots were formed from epicotyle explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 microM kinetin and 0.25 microM alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid. A maximum of five shoots were obtained from one explant in a 75-day culture period. The effect of subsequent subcultures on shoot formation was also studied. After 100% in vitro rooting was obtained in half-strength MS supplemented with 2.5 microM indole-3-butyric acid, the plantlets were transferred to ex vitro conditions. Following a 15-day in vitro rooting period and 12 days of ex vitro acclimatization, 66.7% of the plantlets had established in the field. Application of this protocol has the potential to substantially reduce the pressure on natural populations.
Joshi
M
M
G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, 263643 Almora, (UA), India.
Dhar
U
U
D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D019448:Ethnobotany; D007194:India; D007701:Kinetin; D009280:Naphthaleneacetic Acids; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000254:growth & development; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000254:growth & development*; D012067:Religion; D012098:Reproduction; D030441:Saussurea / Q000254:growth & development*
D003470:Culture Media; D009280:Naphthaleneacetic Acids; C034182:1-naphthaleneacetic acid; D000225:Adenine; D007701:Kinetin