IN-VITRO PROPAGATION OF ALPINIA GALANGA L. VIA SOMTIC EMBRYOGENESIS – A MEDICINAL PLANT

Dr. Mustafaanand P.H.

ABSTRACT

Unscientific collection of medicinal plants from the wild nature became many medicinal plants in endangered and threatened condition. Many members of the Zingiberaceae have became Vulnerable and threatened. Vegetative propagation of Alpinia galanga Linn (Zingiberaceae) cannot fulfill the current demand for planting material and so tissue culture offers an alternative means for mass propagation. Propagation of A. galanga via colonal propagation and organogenesis were successfully standardized and reported earlier by the same author. Propagation by somatic embryogenesis is not reported yet. This paper deals with propagation of A. galanga via somatic embryogenesis. Rhizome discs were inoculated in M.S. medium supplemented with various concentrations of BAP, KIN and 2, 4-D individually or in various combinations. Rhizome discs were produced embryogenic callus when it cultured in M.S. medium supplemented with 2Mg/L. BAP or KIN and 0.25 Mg/L.2,4-D. This embrogenic callus was transferred into a medium having higher concentrations of BAP or KIN + 2, 4-D (3Mg/L + 0. 25Mg/L), produced an average of 4.0 well developed globular embryos. On latter cultures, the auxin were completely removed, well rooted plantlets were emerged from the cultures. Fully developed plantlets were acclimatized successfully in a mixture of soil, sand and compost (1: 1: 1). Survival of the established plantlets was 40%. This method can be used for the large scale production planting material, and germplasm conservation of this threatened medicinal plant. Moreover, the callus can be further utilized for suspension cultures for secondary metabolite production.

Keywords: Alpinia galanga, Embryogenic callus, Somatic embryo genesis, 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), Kinetin (KIN), 2, 4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.