In vitro conservation of medicinal plant (Asparagus racemosus)

Abstract

In the present study incubation of zygotic embryo and hypocotyl cultures in dark promoted formation of embryogenic callus, while light promoted non-embryogenic callus formation. Incubation in dark was beneficial for somatic embryo formation in A. officinalis (Li and Wolyn, 1995, 1996a) and other plants as Coffea (Giridhar et al. 2004) and Echinacea (Zobayed and Saxena, 2002). It is a very well established fact that 2,4-D is the most preferred auxin for embryogenic callus induction. Further Kn has been also used to complement the action of 2,4-D. However, for induction of somatic embryos, it is essential to remove 2,4-D from the medium. In the present study 2,4-D and Kn do induce formation of compact embryogenic callus but somatic embryo induction was observed even in the presence of 2,4-D. Prolonged exposure of 2,4-D or any other auxin even in the presence of a cytokinin promoted formation of white hairy roots and decreased the number of somatic embryos formed. Ancymidol is a known inhibitor of gibberellic acid biosynthesis and by promoting accumulation of storage protein improves somatic embryo maturation (Li and Wolyn 1996b) as has been in A. officinalis.