Micropropogation and in vitro conservation of two medicinally important species of long pepper (Piper longum L. and P. Chaba Hunt)

Two medicinally important species of long pepper, Piper longum and P. chaba were successfully micropropagated on McCown's Woody Plant Medium (WPM) supplemented with BAP and kinetin. WPM with 3 mgl⁻¹ BAP and 1 mgl⁻¹ kinetin was found to be ideal for shoot regeneration and their subsequent growth from both leaf and stem explants either with or without intervening callus phase in both the species. These shoots developed good root system when growth regulators were removed from the culture medium. When rooted plantlets of P. longum were grown in culture medium with 3 mgl⁻¹ BAP and 1 mgl⁻¹ kinetin there was conversion of root meristem to shoot meristem which subsequently developed into shoots and then plantlets. Over 90% of the regenerated plantlets could be easily established in soil. Shoot tips could be conserved under minimal growth conditions with yearly subculture in WPM without any growth regulators. The plantlets could be multiplied normally after one year of storage and the rooted plantlets were successfully planted out.