An in vitro propagation protocol has been developed for Curcuma caesia Roxb., an endangered medicinal plant by Foundation for Revitalisation of Local Health Traditions and Central Forest Department of India. The plant bears poorly germinated seeds and produces two-storage organs: rhizomes and multiple root tubers. Only rhizomes have medicinal-economic values. They serve as propagules too, which results in a shortage of planting material. Therefore, a complete one-year production cycle of C. caesia has been standardized through in vitro propagation including explants establishment (one month), subculture cycles (seven months), rooting (one month) followed by primary hardening (one month) and secondary hardening (two months). Dormant shoot buds on rhizome served as explants for culture initiation on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of 6-benzyladenine (BA) and kinetin (KIN) in combination with citric acid (CA), adenine sulfate (AdS) and indole- 3-acetic acid (IAA). Maximum bud break (70%) was obtained on MS with 8 mg L-1 BA, 8 mg L-1 KIN, 100 mg L-1 CA, 200 mg L-1 AdS and 2 mg L-1 IAA (standard medium). Shoot production potential continued on this medium during the subsequent seven-month-long subculture cycle. The in vitro raised shoots rooted best on ½-strength MS containing 1 mg L-1 indole-3-butyric acid. Plantlet survival rate was >95% after acclimatization. The genetic homogeneity of plantlets with the mother plant was analyzed using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats which generated a monomorphic banding pattern to confirm the uniformity of in vitro raised plantlets of C. caesia.
Curcuma caesia Roxb., also known as black turmeric, is a rare rhizomatous herb in the Zingiberaceae family. In the present study, we used the two different sucrose concentrations (3% and 9% sucrose) in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 8 mg/l benzyladenine, 8 mg/l kinetin, 100 mg/l citric acid, 200 mg/l adenine sulfate and 2 mg/l indole-3-acetic acid to investigate the biochemical differences in the leaves of C. caesia. Biochemical parameters such as total sugar, proline, protein, chlorophyll, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity, were analyzed to study the differences. All the parameters were performed on the 0th and 30th day after inoculation (DAI). It has been found that as sucrose concentration raised from 3% to 9% sucrose, the SOD activity, as well as the total sugar, proline, protein, chlorophyll, and H2O2 content increases significantly at 30th DAI. These increased enzymatic and non-enzymatic defense systems, thus helping the plant to maintain its growth under a stressed environment.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.