<i>In Vitro</i> Plant Regeneration of <i>Morus indica</i> L. cv. V1 Using Leaf Explant

Abstract

Adventitious bud induction and plantlet regeneration w ere studied in a popular mulberry variety, V1 using leaf as an explant. Fully expanded leaf explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium supplemented with thidi azuron (TDZ) (0.5-4.0 mg/l), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.5-2.0 mg/l), indole acetic acid (IAA) (2.0 mg/l), gibber lic acid (GA 3 ) (1.0-2.0 mg/l) silver nitrate (AgNO 3 ) (2.0 mg/l) and different carbon sources such as sucrose, fructose and glucose (10% - 30%) either individually or in combination to induce adventitious buds and regeneration. The high est percentage (63%) of adventitious bud formation and regeneration (68%) w as achieved in the medium containing MS with TDZ (1.0 mg/l), IAA (2.0 mg/l) and AgNO 3 (2.0 mg/l). For subsequent regeneration and shoot elongation the MS medium having BAP (1.0 mg/l), GA3 (2.0 mg/l) and AgNO 3 (2.0 mg/l) was found to be suitable. Amongst the carbon sources tested, the most suitable carbon source was found to be sucrose (3%) followed by fructose (2%) for adventitious bud formation. Excised in vitro shoots were rooted (60% - 80%) in half strength MS medium supplemented with in dole-3-butyric acid (1.0 mg/l). The well rooted plantlets were hardened in soil + sand + farm yard manure (FYM) mix ture with a success rate of 70% - 90%. Since in vitro regeneration is highly genotype - dependent in mulberry, the stan dardized protocol can be effectively used for further improvement of this leading genotype using biotechnological ap proaches.