Production of genetically uniform plants from nodal explants of Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham. ex Wall.—an endangered medicinal herb

Abstract

Swertia chirata is an endangered Gentian species used as herbal medicine for various health ailments including liver disorders, malaria, and diabetes. The depletion of S. chirata from the wild for such applications is a concern. Slow rates of propagation because of poor seed germination and low seed viability are presently limiting factors for its large-scale commercial cultivation. For commercial plantation and conservation of existing germplasm, in vitro multiplication is an attractive solution. The present investigation has achieved production of genetically uniform plants from the nodal explants. Shoot regeneration was obtained in shoot-inducing medium containing half-strength Murashige and Skoog's basal medium supplemented with 0.44 μM 6-benzylaminopurine and 4.65 μM 6-furfurylaminopurine. The highest number of shoots, at 18 per explant, regenerated when media was further fortified with 10 mM KNO 3 and 75 mg l −1 of casein hydrolysate. Tissue culture regenerated plantlets were successfully transferred to the field and produced viable seeds. Studies of chromosome number and a comparative analysis of the DNA fingerprinting profiles indicate genetic stability of the regenerated plants.

In vitro organogenesis secondary metabolite production and heavy metal analysis in Swertia chirayita

“…The maximum numbers of shoots (7.14 ± 0.99) per explant were produced ( Figure 5) on MS medium containing BA (1.0 mg L -1 ) in combination with Ads (100 mg L -1 ) and IAA (0.1 mg L -1 ) from in vivo leaf explants after 4 weeks of culture. More than seven shoot buds per explants were obtained from in vitro leaf of S. chirayita for the first time when the explants were placed on MS medium supplemented with 2.22 µM L -1 N-6-benzyladenine, 11.6 µM L -1 kinetin, and 0.5 µM L -1 a-naphthalene acetic acid [1]. Similar number of shoots were produced from in vivo leaf explants of S. chirayita with 190-2 basal medium containing 13.32 µM L -1 6-BA and 0.54 µM L -1 NAA after 4 weeks of culture [24].…”

“…This medicinal plant is native to temperate Himalayas and found at an altitude of 1200 -3500m. S. chirayita is used as herbal medicine for various health ailments including liver disorders, malaria, gastrointestinal infections and diabetes and it has been used in Unani medicine [1]. Extracts of S. chirayita have been shown to possess antioxidative, antihepatotoxic and hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial activities [2][3][4].…”

“…Direct organogenesis from explants, escaping the callus induction phase, is desirable especially in modern breeding where increasing rapidity and reducing costs of regeneration are essential. Direct organogenesis in S. chirayita was investigated by different explants such as nodal explants [1], shoot tip [7], leaf explants [8] and immature seed cultures [9]. Efficient regeneration protocols from shoot tip of field grown plants and high frequency somatic embryogenesis and regeneration from synthetic seed has previously published [10,11].…”

High frequency somatic embryogenesis and synthetic seed production of the endangered species Swertia chirayita

“…There have been a few reports on micropropagation of S. chirayita (Balaraju et al 2009;Chaudhuri et al 2007Chaudhuri et al , 2008Chaudhuri et al , 2009Joshi & Dhawan 2007;Wang et al 2009). However, to date, there are only two preliminary reports (Jha et al 2011;Balaraju et al 2011) published so far on somatic embryogenesis through in vitro leaf explants of S. chirayita and no report on synthetic seed production in S. chirayita or any Swertia species.…”

Assessment of Genetic Fidelity of in vitro Raised Plants in Swertia chirayita through ISSR, RAPD analysis and Peroxidase Profiling during Organogenesis

“…Tissue culture offers the opportunity to develop new germplasm and it is better adapted to the changing demands [2][3][4] . There are few reports on micropropagation of Swertia chirayita through axillary shoots 5 , in vitro grown seedlings 6 , nodal meristems and immature seed culture 7 . The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been associated with plant recalcitrance during in vitro culture (Benson, 2000) 8 .…”