European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EFFICIENT CALLUS INDUCTION AND INDIRECT PLANT LET PROLIFERATION FROM COTYLEDONARY EXPLANTS OF GYMNEMA SYLVESTRE (RETZ) R. BR. EX ROEMER & SCHULTES. AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT

Anitha Devi Uppu*

ABSTRACT

Gymnema sylvestre Retz. R.Br. Ex Roemer & Schultes, commonly called as Gudmar” (gud -jaggery, mar-kills) a medicinally important branched woody climber, distributed throughout India in dry forest up to 600 m. belongs to the Asclepiadaceae family commenced 100 years ago, has been employed to control diabetes by traditional medicinal practitioners of India for several centuries. Nowadays focus is being placed on Gymnema sylvestre callus induction and plantlet proliferation. In this study the Cotyledonary explants of two weeks old seedlings of Gymnema sylvestre were induced for callus induction on MS media containing different combinations and concentrations of growth regulators. Different callusing media containing varying levels of 2.4-D/IAA/NAA (1.0- 5.0mg/L) were tested for callus induction response. Maximum (90%) callusing response was obtained from Cotyledonary explants on MS medium containing (3.0mg/L) NAA. After 8 weeks of induction, the calluses were transferred on different regenerated media containing varying level of BAP/Kn/TDZ (1.0-5.0mg/L). Maximum shoot bud differentiation from callus culture was achieved on MS Medium fortified with TDZ (3.0mg/L). Elongation and further development of shoot buds into shoots were achieved on MS medium supplemented with TDZ (3.0mg/L). This is the first report of in vitro callus induction and plantlet regeneration in Gymnema sylvestre. The regenerated elongated shoots were transferred to Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) (1.0mg/L–5.0mg/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.

Keywords: Callus Induction, Plant let Proliferation Indirect Regeneration, Cotyledonary Explants and Gymnema Sylvestre.