Present study describes micro-propagation of traditionally important medicinal plant in northern interior part of Karnataka, Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata, for its conservation. Results showed that the survival ability of regenerated plants was 84 per cent. Proliferation of C. adscendens var. fimbriata shoots was achieved on medium supplemented with various concentrations of different hormones. The effective combination of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BA) 2.0 mg/l along with 0.5 mg/l kinetin (Kn) and 0.2 mg/l Indole-3-acetic acid (IBA) produced highest number of shoot sprouting frequency (91%) with a mean of 2.60 ± 0.17 shoot number per explants and a mean shoot length of 3.88 ± 0.20 cm from the mature nodal explants. A good frequency of callus was induced in 1.5 to 2.0 mg/l of 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and in 2.0 mg/l of 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2, 4-D) were transferred to root induction media. The NAA showed positive response of rooting when compared with IAA and IBA in the present study. The best root and shoot sprouted plants were successfully acclimatized in the greenhouse and transferred to open field conditions. This micropropagation protocol can be successfully used for large-scale multiplication and conservation of germplasm of this threatened plant.
Variegations in ornamental crops are not uncommon however, reports of variegations in Areca catechu L.-an economically important plantation crop have not been made yet. In the present study we have identified and characterized the palms of Mangala and South Kanara Local populations that showed variegation trait. These variant palms have variegated green and yellow stripes on nuts, leaves, leaf sheath and greener portion of the stem. Besides morphological differences, kernels also showed variations. Significant differences in the physiological and biochemical parameters of these off-types were recorded. Physiological parameters like photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, stomatal resistance and chlorophyll index were recorded from the greener portion of variegated leaves, yellow regions of the variegated leaves and control leaves (wild type leaves). The photosynthetic rate of greener portion of variegated leaves did not differ significantly from the wild type leaves in both Mangala and S.K. Local varieties. But in both the varieties significant differences were observed between greener portion of variegated leaves and wild type leaves with yellow regions of the variegated leaves. Similarly, in both the varieties stomatal conductance of green region of variegated leaves and normal leaves are higher than yellow regions of the variegated leaves, so is the transpiration rate. Greener portion of variegated leaves and the normal leaves showed higher values for transpiration than yellow regions of the variegated leaves in both the varieties. Yellow regions of the variegated leaves showed low transpiration rate in Mangala and S.K. Local varieties. Expectedly, stomatal resistance was low in green region of variegated leaves and normal leaves compared to yellow regions. Yellow regions of the variegated leaves showed very low chlorophyll index compared to green region of variegated leaves and normal leaves in both the varieties. Biochemical constituents like total sugar, total phenolics, non-tannin phenolics and antioxidant potential in terms of reducing power using CUPRAC and FRAP methods were analysed along with moisture content in both immature and ripened arecanut of both normal and variegated types of Mangala and South Kanara Local varieties. The biochemical analysis results indicated wide variation between normal and variegated types for all the biochemical constituents studied. The genetic, biochemical and physiological significance of these variegations are discussed in this paper.
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