Advances in Applied Research

The pomegranate fruits are of commercial values owing to their medicinal values. The plantation is popular due to the high yield at a low maintenance cost. Pomegranate is conventionally, propagated through lengthy and cumbersome grafting procedure. For commercial applications, a simple, reliable and fast method to propagate more number of plants in short duration is required. In this study we have attempted a rapid and efficient method of micro propagation of pomegranate (Punica granatum L. cv. Bhagwa) through axillary buds. Pomegranate cv Bhagwa was successfully mass propagated in tissue culture using nodal explants. 98% disease free plants were achieved by treating the explants in fungicide 0.1% (Captan – 50) and 0.1% mercuric chloride. Shoot proliferation was induced in nodal segments on Murashige and Skoog media containing various combinations of 6 – Benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0 – 2 mg L⁻¹) and 1-naphthalacetic acid (NAA) (0 – 1 mg L⁻¹). Maximum number of shoots (6.2) was produced in N8 media with BAP 1.5 mg L⁻¹ and 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) 0.5 mg L⁻¹ Amaximum shoot length of 7.7 cm with highest number of leaves (13) was recorded on the same medium. Regenerated nodal shoots were cut into segments to test the efficiency of rooting and it was observed that the apical region of nodal segment rooted better than the other regions, which has lead to more number of plants from a single nodal segment. Well rooted plants were acclimatized and hardened