Ahsan Akram

Effect of Antioxidants, Amino Acids and Plant Growth Regulators on in vitro Propagation of Rosa centifolia

BACKGROUND Rosa centifoliais commercially propagated by asexual means but in vitro propagation ensure the production of disease free and healthy plants and browning of explants creates hurdle in their multiplication. OBJECTIVES The aim was to reduce oxidative browning of shoots of R. centifolia in MS medium during in vitro propagation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Axillary buds of R. centifolia were sterilized with 70% ethyl alcohol for 4 min and 5% sodium hypochlorite for 2 min followed by three washing with sterilized double distilled water. In order to control oxidative browning, Ascorbic acid (100 mg.L-1), citric acid (100 mg.L-1) and activated charcoal (3 g.L-1) were used while to control withering of shoots, different concentrations (3.0 mg.L-1, 6.0 mg.L-1, 9.0 mg.L-1) of either glutamine, asparagine and proline were put into trial. Different concentrations of Benzyl aminopurine (BAP) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) were used for in vitro shoot and root formation. RESULTS Minimum browning percentage (20%) was achieved in the presence of activated charcoal (3.0 g.L-1) and pretreatment of explants with running tap water. Asparagin (9.0 mg.L-1) produced maximum shooting (93%), minimum withering (6.67%), and it took longer period (27 days) for shoots to wither. BAP (3.0 mg.L-1) + NAA (0.5 mg.L-1) was produced the highest number of shoots (1.63), in a shortest periods (9 days). For root production, NAA (1.5 mg.L-1) + BAP (0.5 mg.L-1) reduced the time to 11 days with maximum number of roots (4.33) and root length (4.20 cm). CONCLUSIONS The supplement of activated charcoal (3.0 g.L-1), a sparagin (9.0 mg.L-1) and combination of BAP and NAA in the MS medium is effective for in vitro propagation of R. centifolia.