In vitro bulblet induction from nodules of Charybdis numidica

Abstract

The in vitro bulblet induction from meristematic nodules of Charybdis numidica on
semisolid media was studied. Nodules induced from leaf segments in liquid MS Murashige
and Skoog, (1962) medium with 20 ??M 6-Benzyladenine (BAP) under dark conditions.
Nodules were cultured on semisolid medium with different concentrations of ??-
naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA, 0-5 ??M) under 16 hour photoperiod. Bulblet induction was
observed in all media after 10 weeks of culture. The highest total number of bulblets was
induced on the medium without NAA and significantly decreased with an increasing
concentration of NAA. The number of bulblets formed in different size classes in all of the
media was no significantly different whereas the number of rooted bulblets was significantly
increased when cultured on the medium with 0.5 ??M NAA. Rooted bulblets could be directly
transplanted to soil and unrooted bulblets could either produce vigorous roots on basal solid
MS medium without growth regulators or directly produced roots in the soil. All rooted
bulblets were successfully acclimatized in the greenhouse with high survival rate.

Keywords: Squill, bulblet, micropropagation, meristematic nodules