In vitro Plant Regeneration from Apical Bud and Nodal Segments of Anthocepahalus Cadamba - An important sacred and medicinal tree

Multiple shoot induction and plant regeneration using apical bud and nodal explants of 100 year old tree of Anthocephalus cadamba, an important sacred and medicinal tree in India was achieved for the first time. Aseptic explants cultured in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium augmented with different concentrations of BAP (0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg/l), when maintained for 60 days, healthy shoots were induced in presence of BAP (1 mg/l). Lower concentrations of BAP (0.1 - 0.5 mg/l) induced only one shoot per explant. Increase in number of shoots per explant was observed in presence of higher concentrations of BAP (2.5, 5.0 and 10 mg/l). However, elongation of shoots was completely inhibited. Bud break and shoot regeneration was largely associated with seasonal factors. Apical buds cultured during June to August exhibited early bud break within two weeks of initial culture. In rest of the months, bud break and shoot regeneration was very slow irrespective of the various concentrations of BAP used in the medium. Explants sourced from three different maturity levels of shoots indicated that actively growing shoots from the mother plant with 1 - 2 nodal segments was more suitable for culture initiation than the explants collected from mature shoots at dormant stage. Regenerated shoots with 2 - 3 pairs of leaves when transferred to half strength MS medium fortified with IBA (1 mg/l), 60% of the shoots induced healthy roots, indicating the possibility of large scale micropropagation.