In vitro clonal propagation of a male sterile line in Chilli crop

A high frequency simple method of plant regeneration has been developed in male sterile line MS 12 of chilli. Different factors affecting plant regeneration were studied i.e., age of the explant, wounding of the cotyledons and the media composition. Cotyledons of 8-day old in vitro grown seedlings were excised and cultured on MS media supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of BAP, kinetin and IAA. The frequency of plant regeneration, days taken to plant regeneration and number of shoots per explant were influenced by age of explants, wounding and concentrations of growth regulators added to the media. Twenty four day old wounded cotyledons recoded maximum plant regeneration (77.77%), minimum days to plant regeneration and maximum number of shoots (20.00) on MS media supplemented with BAP (9mg l⁻¹), kin (2 mg l⁻¹) and IAA (2 mg l⁻¹) which declined significantly with either decrease or increase from this optimum level. The shoots when attained approximately 2 cm height were sub-cultured onto the ½ strength MS medium supplemented with IBA (2mg/l) for one week and subsequently transferred to the ½ MS hormone free medium on which simultaneous shoot elongation as well as root formation took place. The plantlets thus obtained were transferred to poly bags containing FYM: sand: soil in the ratio of 1: 1: 1 under glass house conditions for establishment.