Influence of Gelling Agent on Micropropagation Cost and in Vitro Conservation of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) Germplasm

To examine the effect of different gelling agents on micropropagation and cost effective in vitroconservation −1 −1of C. longacv. Sona cultures, six gelling agents viz. 7 g lAgar (Himedia PTPure), 2.5g lClarigel −1−1−1−1(Himedia), 4.5g lClarigar (Himedia), 6g lGelzen (Sigma), Isabgol 3.5g l(Baidyanath) and 2.5g lPhytagel (Sigma) were tested.Shoot bud explantsexcised from in vitroestablished cultureswere inoculated −1on basal salts of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2.5 mg lBAP+ 3% sucrose. Highest rate of shoot multiplication without hyperhydric transformation was recorded with 2.88± 0.03 shoots/ explant in the cultures grown on media solidified with Clarigar, compared to regularly used gelling agent agar (2.31± 0.38). After 12 months of conservation, highest 85% survival of cultures was also recorded in the medium solidified with Clarigar, whereas only 50% of cultures survived on agar supplemented media. Regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized and produced healthy rhizomes using soil: sand: Farm Yard manure (2:1:1) with 85% survival.