Callus Induction and Antimicrobial Activity of Seed and Callus Extracts of Clitoria ternatea L.

Callus induction from leaf derived explant of C. ternatea was achieved with 100% frequency on Murashige and Skoog's basal medium fortified with 2 μM 2 4- D and 18 μM kinetin. Callus grew in sizeand weight till 6^th week in culture as measured by an increase in both fresh and dry weights. Aqueous extracts of both seed and callus were prepared for evaluating the antimicrobial activity against selected pathogenic fungi and bacteria using the agar well diffusion technique. Seeds and leaf delivered calli of C. ternatea were extracted using standardized laboratory protocol. The seed extract of C. ternatea showed maximum zone of inhibition (22 ± 0.5 mm) against Escherichia coli (NCIM 2645) at 0.75 mg concentration and minimum (14 ± 1.0 mm) with Micrococcus flavus (NCIM 2376). The callus extract showed maximum zone of inhibition (16 ± 2.0 mm) against Salmonella typhi, the minimum was against Escherichia coli (NCIM 2645) and Staphylococcus aureus (12 ± 1.0 mm and 12 ± 0.9 mm, respectively). The seed extract of C. ternatea showed strong antifungal activity on all the tested fungi but the callus extract exhibited marginal antifungal activity.