In vitro propagation studies of virus tolerant citrus rootstock Cleopatra mandarin (citrus reshnii Tanaka)

Studies on virus tolerant citrus rootstock Cleopatra (citrus reshnii Tanaka) were carried out by using nodal segments of seedlings as explants. The MS medium supplemented with BAP and kinetin alone or in combination for shoot proliferation and NAA and IBA alone or in combinations for rooting was used in different concentration. The maximum survival of explants (90 per cent) on BAP 1.0 mgl⁻¹ + kinetin 0.5 mgl⁻¹, minimum time required to bud breaking (19.50 days) on BAP 0.5 mgl⁻¹ + kinetin 0.5 mgl⁻¹, maximum number of shoot (7.30) on BAP 2.0 mgl⁻¹ + kinetin 1.0 mgl⁻¹ and maximum length shoot (2.40 cm) on BAP 0.5 mgl⁻¹ + kinetin 2.0 mgl⁻¹ were recorded. The maximum (90 per cent) survival of micro-shoot for rooting and length of root (6.28 cm) were recorded on M S medium modified with NAA 0.5 mgl⁻¹+ IBA 0.5 mgl⁻¹. The minimum time taken to root induction (22.00 days) on NAA 0.5mgl⁻¹ + IBA 0.1 mgl⁻¹ and maximum number of root (5.60) on NAA 0.5 mgl⁻¹ + IBA 1.0 mgl⁻¹ were observed. In vitro propagated plantlets were successfully acclimatized by transferring them in pots containing a potting mixture of soil, perlite, vermiculite in equal proportion. In the medium the survival of plantlets was 90 per cent observed.