Micro-Propagation of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.

Micro-propagation of male sterile line may ensure cent per cent population of male sterile plants in the field. It may facilitate 100 per cent genetically pure hybrid plant stand as well as utilization of male sterile plants in other hybridization programmes. With this aim in view, the present investigation envisaged the establishment of asceptic culture of male sterile line, standardization of growth media composition, induction of in vitro rooting and hardening of in vitro derived plantlets. Different concentrations of BAP, Benzyl amino purine (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/litre) were tried for efficient shoot proliferation. The half strength MS media containing sucrose (20g/litre) with different concentrations of NAA. naphthalene acetic acid (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 mg/litre) were tried for rhizogenesis. MS medium supplemented with 0.5mg/litre BAP produced significantly higher number of shoots (5.91) after 4 weeks of culturing and was adjudged the best medium. The callus formation at the base of the explant was observed at all the levels of BAP. The combination of BAP and NAA adversely affected the number of shoots and shoot growth while it induced more callus growth. Rooting was observed in the medium containing 0.01mg/litre NAA while only callusing was observed in the medium containing other concentrations of NAA. Significantly higher number of roots (8.73) per shoot were observed in the half strength MS medium supplemented with 0.01 mg/litre NAA but average root length (7.37cm) was significantly less than that in the control. About 81% in vitro raised plantlets survived when hardened for 14 days under high relative humidity. MS medium especially ½ MS medium supplemented with NAA 0.01 mg/l resulted in early shoot initiation.