In-vitro Propagation of Aromatic Woody Plant Mesua Ferrea Linn

Mesua ferrea Linn. is an important aromatic plant found in western Ghats of India, belonging to the family Clusiaceae. The fragrant stamens of the M.ferrea flowers are genuine drugs for Ayurveda. The power of stamen of nagkesar is used in bleeding piles. This tree species is slow growing and do not bear fruits in many regions of Maharashtra. Hence in- vitro propagation of the species was undertaken. Seeds were cultured on Woody Plant Medium (WPM) and Murashige and Skoog (MS) half strength basal medium for germination. One year old potted plantlets and In vitro seedlings were used as explants in the present study. Apical and Axillary buds from in-vitro seedlings and potted plantlets were cultured in WPM and MS media supplemented with BAP (4.43, 8.87, 13.31, 17.75 μM) and K N (4.64, 9.29, 13.93, 18.58 μM). Both in MS and WPM media the optimum shoot initiation was obtained at BAP 4.43 μM and KN 4.64 μM. Shoots elongation were achieved in half strength WPM basal medium supplemented with KN 4.64 μM or BAP 2.3 μM and 4.3 μM. For root initiation, the elongated shoots were subjected to pulse treatment of IBA (1225, 2440, 4900, 9800 μM). Out of these root initiation was obtained in 9800 μM IBA.