Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi.
Procedures for in-vitro multiplication and short-term conservation of 3 endangered medicinal plants, viz., Saussurea lappa. Picrorhiza kurroa and Podophyllum hexandrum are reported. While first two species were multiplied via shoot multiplication, the third species was multiplied via both shoot multiplication and somatic embryogenesis. On MS + RAP (5 X 10-6 M) + GA3 (3 X 10−6 M) shoots of S. lappa proliferated at a rate of 3.5 fold every 3 weeks and 90 per cent cultures of these shoots rooted in MS + NAA (5 X 10−7 M). P. kurroa multiplied 36-fold every 30 days on MS + RAP (1 X 10−6 M). Similarly, shoots of P. hexandrum muliplied 8-fold in 4 weeks on MS + RAP (2 X 10−6 M). The callus derived from zygotic embryos of P. hexandrum on MS + RAP (2 X 10−6 M) + IAA (5 X 10−7 M) differentiated globular embryos. Further development of these embryos occurred on MS + NAA and the somatic embros germinated on MS with or without growth regulators. The shoot cultures and embryogenic calli stored at 5°C in dark for 7 to 12 months without any intervening subculture survived with 70 to 100 per cent viability.
