Micropropagation of male sterile marigold plants for F₁ hybrid seed production

A laboratory experiment was conducted to develop a commercial tissue culture technique for mieropropagation of field-grown differentiated male sterile MS₅ line. Result showed that explant collected at appearance of first flower when subcultured on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/1 BAP gave maximum axillary bud sprouting in a minimum duration of 12.93 days among the other cytokinins, viz., kinetin and thidiazuron. For multiple shoot proliferation 10.0 mg/1 BAP + 0.2 mg/1 IAA produced maximum shoots (3.86/explant). Half -strength MS basal medium when supplemented with 0.5 mg/1 IBA + 0.5 mg/1 NAA produced maximum rooting (98.82%). A survival rate of 82.52% was achieved when in vitro raised plantlets were transferred under glasshouse and later on in the field conditions. Tissue culture raised plants were found to perform better to that of seed derived plants. Both vegetative and flowering characters were found to be equal or slightly superior over the seedling plants.