In vitro studies on jeshtamadh (Glycyrrhiza glabral)

Glycyrrhiza glabra L. is one of the endangered medicinal plants, and therefore it is a need to conserve it as well as to increase its area and production. During present investigation, a protocol for in vitro micro-propagation was established for Glycyrrhiza glabra L. using nodal segments as explants. The explants were obtained from healthy plants grown in pots. Excised nodal segments were surface sterilized with 0.1% HgCl₂ for 5 min. The nodal segments were cultured on MS medium alone and in combination with BAP and/or NAAfor shoot initiation. MS + 1mg/l BAP was found to be the best media for shoot initiation. Well grown, healthy shoots from MS + 1mg/l BAP were transferred into multiplication media composed of MS, WPM and B5 as basal medium, each of which supplemented with BAP, Kn and TDZ in varying concentration and fixed concentration of 0.5mg/l NAA. Among them MS + 1mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l NAA along with MS + 1 mg/l Kn + 0.5 mg/l NAA yielded maximum number of shoots per explant (5.8). The rooting of in vitro developed shoots was recorded to be maximum (8.4) in HMS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/l IBA.