In vitro Regeneration through Apical and Axillary Shoot Proliferation of Ficus religiosa L. - A Multi-purpose Woody Medicinal Plant

Abstract

A protocol was established for mass propagation of the valuable medicinal plant Ficus religiosa L. (Moraceae) through in vitro culture using apical and axillary buds of young sprouts from selected plants. Best shoot induction was observed on MS basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP + 0.1 mg/l IAA, in which 78 per cent of the explants produced 16 shoots per culture. Repeated subcultures in the same medium, resulted rapid shoot multiplication with 24 shoots per culture. In vitro raised shoots rooted on half strength MS supplemented with 2.0 mg/l IBA + 0.1 mg/l NAA. For acclimatization and transplantation, the plantlets in the rooting culture tubes were kept in normal room temperature for seven days before transplanting in pots where plantlets were reared for three weeks. The survival rate of regenerated plantlets was 85 per cent.

Enhanced shoot multiplication in Ficus religiosa L. in the presence of adenine sulphate, glutamine and phloroglucinol

“…As compared to BAP alone in the medium, more shoot proliferation (nearly threefold) was observed when it was supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IAA. A similar synergistic effect of cytokininauxin combinations towards shoot proliferation has been reported earlier also (Mishra et al 2008;Negi and Saxena 2010;Hassan et al 2009). …”

“…In our study we found 1.0 mg/l of BAP as the most effective concentration for the shoot bud induction as well as shoot proliferation. Deshpande et al (1998), however, has reported 5 mg/l BAP as suitable for initial bud break and 1.0 mg/l BAP as for further shoot proliferation of Ficus religiosa, while Hassan et al (2009) found 0.5 mg/l BAP in combination with 0.1 mg/l IAA as most suitable for shoot multiplication. This difference in observations might be due to the differences in the basal medium, genotype, and physiological state as well as environmental conditions of the mother plant.…”

“…Further no observation has been made for multiplying the shoots after repeated sub-culturing, no mention of any observation/problem common to tissue culture of higher age woody perennials, has been made. Hassan et al (2009) have reported a comparative high rate of multiplication but still the study lacks the observations regarding the shoot multiplication as well as health of the shoots during continuous subculturing process. So there is a need to further modify the micropropagation protocol for Ficus religiosa which can fulfil the large scale commercial demand of planting material of this tree.…”

“…So far, only three studies on in vitro propagation of Ficus religiosa L. are available (Jaiswal and Narayan 1985;Deshpande et al 1998 andHassan et al 2009). Jaiswal and Narayan (1985) have reported shoot regeneration via indirect organogenesis through callus phase, maximum number of 6-10 shoots being obtained from a callus piece.…”

In vitro Shoot Proliferation through Cotyledonary Node and Shoot Tip Explants of Ficus religiosa L.

“…In vitro shoot regeneration has already been reported for F. religiosa (Jaiswal and Narayan 1985, Deshpande et al 1998, Hassan et al 2009, Siwach and Gill 2011, 2013. No report has been found in the literature on plant regeneration from immature-explants of F. religiosa.…”