title: In vitro propagation of a rare medicinal fern of Western Ghats--Diplazium esculentum (Reytz.).
abstract: Present study aimed for in vitro culture of circinate part of young leaves of D. esculentum which is amongst the leafy vegetables consumed as vegetable by Paniya and Chetti tribes of Western Ghats. The circinate part of young leaves (crosiers), excised before the beginning of foliar expansion, was inoculated on half strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with auxins indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or alpha-napthalene acetic acid (NAA) or 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and cytokinin 6- benzylaminopurine (BA) in a range 0.5 to 2.5 mg L(-1). Combinations of different concentrations of 2,4 D + BA, IBA + BA as well as of NAA+ BA were also tested in half strength MS medium with 3% sucrose and with pH 5.8. The best morphogenic response was obtained with half strength MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D 0.5 mg L(-1) and BA 2.5 mg L(-1), 3% sucrose, at pH 5.8. For rooting of the microshoots, half strength MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D ( 2 and 1 mg L(-1)) exhibited best results. Present study reports the successful in vitro culturing of D. esculentum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University College, Trivandrum 695 034, India.
authors.forename: Archana G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University College, Trivandrum 695 034, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pradeesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University College, Trivandrum 695 034, India.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Nikhila
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University College, Trivandrum 695 034, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sangeetha
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University College, Trivandrum 695 034, India.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mini
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University College, Trivandrum 695 034, India.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Swapna
mesh_terms: D029624:Ferns / Q000254:growth & development*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007194:India; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000254:growth & development*