Indian Journal of Plant Genetic Resources

Azadirachta indica A. Juss. commonly known as Neem is medicinally and pesticidally important tree. Its seed viability lost for few months which falls off rapidly after two weeks. Thus conventional multiplication through seeds is limited. Present paper described in vitro plantlet formation from nodal explant of mature tree and seedling. Nodal explant from mature tree when cultured on Murashige and Skoogs medium (with half concentration of NH₄NO₃ and KNO₃) supplemented with 0.5–5.0 mg/l benzyladenine produced 3–4 shoots in 4 weeks. The number of shoots increased along with increase in the shoot length when second subculture was done on MS + 2.5 mgA BA. Similar results were obtained with nodes excised from young seedling. However, addition of 50 mg/l Adenine sulphate in the medium was found to be better for shoot growth. These shoots when transferred to MS + 0.5 mg/l BA further elongated. In vitro developed shoots were rooted on MS medium supplemented with 1.0–3.0 mg/l NAA.