Optimization of in Vitro Regeneration Schedule of Zingiber Chrysanthum Rosc. Plantlets from Rhizome bud Explants

This study was conducted to develop an efficient protocol for in vitro regeneration of Zingiber chrysanthum Rosc. for mass multiplication. The treatment of 0.1% HgCl₂ on rhizome bud explants for 35 min minimimized the microbial contamination resulting high explant survival frequency(67.63%) and survival efficiency(38.75%). Cefotaxime (0.2 mg/l) was found to be most effective as compared to gentamycine due to enhance explants survival. The rhizome buds were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) alone or with a combination of BAP with NAA or IAA or kinetin. A good proliferation of shoots (50%) along with roots (39.61%) was observed in the treatment with 1mg/l BAP. At this concentration shoot induction occurred within 25 days and root induction occurred within 32 days. The combination of BAP (1mg/l) with NAA (0.5 mg/l) gave shoot proliferation (49%) within 24 days and increased root induction (48%) within 30 days. The combination of BAP (2mg/l) with kinetin (1mg/l) gave maximum shooting (37%) within 23 days, whereas maximum root induction was observed within 25 days in the combination of kinetin (1mg/l) and BAP (0.5 mg/l). The combination of BAP and IAA produced more shoot induction as compared to root induction. The present investigation provides an efficient in vitro micro-plantlet multiplication for this medicinally important germplasm.