The present study describes biochemical changes taking place during seed germination of Sterculia urens. The levels of proteins, total amino acids, reducing sugars, total soluble sugars and lipids were studied during various stages of seed germination (0-15 days). Total protein content was decreased in cotyledons during seed germination while free amino acid content increased to its maximum extent by 9 th day of germination and reverse trend thereafter. The levels of reducing sugars and total soluble sugars increased till 6 th day of germination and decreased thereafter. The lipid content was high at initial stages of germination (0-6 days) but gradually decreased by 15 th day of germination.

Plant regeneration from the nodal explants of 1-month-old in vitro grown plants and cotyledonary node explants of 15-days-old seedlings of Sterculia urens is reported. Nodal explants were grown on MS medium supplemented with various growth regulators like BA, KIN and TDZ. For shoot induction 13.3 μM BA, 0.9 μM TDZ and 9.3 μM KIN were found optimum. Among the three growth regulators 0.90 μM TDZ was used for the growth of cotyledonary node explants. An average of 8.6 shoots per node and 11.2 shoots per cotyledonary node were observed in 4 to 5 weeks. These shoots were subsequently rooted in vitro on half strength MS medium containing various concentrations of auxins like IBA and NAA. The best concentrations for rooting of shoots were 19.7 μM IBA and 16.1 μM NAA. Plantlets were acclimatized to ex vitro conditions and established in the field.