A Micropropagation System for Cissus Quadrangularis - A Valuable Medicinal Plant

Abstract

The present study was carried out on a valuable medicinal plant Cissus quadrangularis Linn. (family Vitaceae) with a view to develop a standard protocol for its in vitro multiplication. This plant is commonly known as “Hadjod” in Hindi because of its ability to promote healing of the fractured bones and is known to have a number of other pharmacological effects like bone healing, anti inflammatory, analgesic, anti osteoporotic, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiulcer, antioxidant, and anti obesity properties. The different vegetative parts i.e. nodal explants, stem and leaves were excised from an elite field grown mature plant and thereafter planted on variously supplemented Murashige and Skoog’s medium for multiple shoot proliferation, callus induction and direct as well as indirect organogenesis. Cissus exhibited of multiple shoot proliferation from nodal segment on MS medium supplemented with Zn (2.28 μM - 9.12 μM) or fortified with BAP (4.44 μM - 8.8μM) alone in conjunction with Kn (4.65 μM - 9.13 μM). Out of all the combinations tried, best results, however, were obtained on MS medium supplemented with Zn (4.56 μM), where 8-10 shoots were formed after 7 weeks of culturing. In vitro formed shoots were excised and rooted on a separate root inducing full strength basal MS medium. Regenerated shoots thus formed were carefully excised and then rooted on basal MS medium. Thick, white coloured roots started appearing from basal end of regenerated shoot after 3 weeks which elongated further after 7 weeks. The rooted in vitro plantlets of Cissus quadrangularis were subjected to acclimitization through successive hardening stages so that these could be successfully transferred to field conditions. Direct rooting was observed from leaf and stem segments on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of IBA, 2,4-D, NAA either alone or in combination with Kn. From stem segment, best rooting was observed on IBA (4.90 μM) supplemented medium within 20 days of inoculation. Nearly four roots were formed which were thick, white without root hairs. Direct rooting was also observed on MS medium containing BAP (8.8 μM) along with Kn (9.30 μM) after 4 weeks, roots were thin and white in colour without hair but were much longer. In case of leaf segment MS medium fortified with NAA (10.74 μM) and Kn (2.325 μM) found to be the best where direct rooting occurred after 3 weeks. Roots were again thick, short and white in colour without root hairs.