In vitro Plant Regeneration from Cotyledonary Leaf Callus in Withania Somnifera Dunal. An Important Medicinal Plant

A protocol for in vitro plant regeneration has been developed in Withania somnifera Dunal. using callus obtained from cotyledonary leaf explants of in vitro raised seedlings. Through callogenesis is useful for the multiplication as well as for the genetic manipulation. The plant is known to have important secondary metabolites withanolides so regeneration protocol is expected to be very use full for the mass production of these withanolides.

The induction of callus was observed on MS medium supplemented with NAA (1.0 mg/l)+Kn (1.0 mg/l) subsequent regeneration from callus was observed on MS+BAP (2.0 mg/l) + Kn (0.5 mg/l) + 10% CM in which 87.66±0.88 shoots per culture were obtained. The plant-lets about 5–6 cm in length were subsequently rooted on MS medium supplemented with IBA (2.0 mg/l). Micro propagated plants were hardened in half strength MS and then established in pots containing sand and soil mixture (1:1).