European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

AN EFFICIENT IN VITRO PROPAGATION PROTOCOL FOR MORINDA CITRIFOLIA L., AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANT

Saranya Babu Jayaprakash C. M., Minoo Divakaran*, Madhusoodanan P.V. and Prakashkumar R.

ABSTRACT

An efficient protocol was developed for in vitro propagation of Morinda citrifolia L., a traditional folk medicinal tree with pharmacological value and low seed germination capacity. A source of several phytochemicals and potent anti-microbial activities, development of a micropropagation protocol, will serve as a tool for exploiting the production of phytochemicals in vitro. The effect of different concentrations of plant growth regulators such as cytokinins (BAP and Kinetin) on shoot proliferation and auxins (IBA and NAA) and different strength of MS medium (Full, ½ and ¼ MS) on rooting were investigated. Cytokinin BAP promoted shoot proliferation more favourably than kinetin. Endogenous auxin levels indicated that rooting was induced without the exogenous supply of growth regulators and quarter strength MS basal media was sufficient for rooting of microshoots. Hardening and acclimatization of the plantlets were successfully with over 96%, exhibiting normal development. Synthetic seeds of M. citrifolia were also produced using nodal segments and shoot tips with sodium alginate, as a method for germplasm conservation.

Keywords: Synthetic seeds, In vitro regeneration, Noni, plant growth regulators, rhizogenesis.