An Alternate Cost-effective Medium for In Vitro Regeneration of Therapeutically Important Ocimum citriodorum Vis

Abstract

ABSTRACT: A novel cost-effective in vitro regeneration protocol has been evolved for the therapeutically important Ocimum citriodorum Vis. In the present study, table sugar (3%) and isabgol (Psyllium husk) (3.5%) were used as an alternate source of carbon and gelling agent respectively in Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium. The explant used in the current study was nodal segment. A significant observation revealed that all the cultures resulted in shoot induction and maximum number of shoots/ culture (6.04) and their average length (2.15 cm) was obtained on modified MS-medium supplemented with table sugar, isabgol and BAP. However, best root induction (95.83%) was obtained on ½ MS-medium augmented with table sugar (3%) , isabgol (3.5%) and NAA. An increase in average number of roots per shoot (6.91%) as well as average root length (2.73 cm) was also observed in the same modified medium. The in vitro regenerated plantlets were successfully transferred to the field and no notable variation was observed in their morphology. The overall cost of culture medium for in vitro propagation of O. citriodorum Vis. was reduced significantly by 92.69% when agar and sucrose were replaced by isabgol and table sugar, respectively.