Effect of Solid and Liquid Media on in vitro Propagation of Plectranthus edulis (Vatke) (Agnew)

Abstract

Plectranthus edulis (Vatke), Agnew is one of the four economically important tuber bearing species of Plectranthus. It originated in Ethiopia and has been grown in mid and high altitude areas. The plant is propagated vegetatively by tuber. During cultivation of P. edulis farmers face shortage of disease free planting materials. In vitro propagation of P. edulis can be used for production of disease free planting material. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of solid and liquid media on in vitro axillary shoot proliferation of P. edulis. Shoots were multiplied using MS solid and liquid media containing different concentrations of BAP or TDZ either alone or in combinations. Rooting experiment was done using half strength MS medium containing different concentrations of IAA and IBA. Among the different treatment combinations used for multiplication,5.85±2.17and 6.07±2.30 mean numbers of axillary shoots were obtained on 1.5 mg/l BAP + 0.5 mg/l TDZ, on solid and liquid media respectively. In vitro developed shoots were rooted best with mean root number of 10.55±5.47 on solid medium and 13.11±7.15 on liquid medium in 0.1 mg/l IAA. The survival rate of the acclimatized plantlets in the glasshouse was 100% and 82.85% from solid and liquid media, respectively. Moreover the overall effect of solid and liquid media was observed to be best of shoot multiplication and rooting, respectively.

Keywords: Acclimatization, Oromo Dinich, Shoot multiplication, Tuber