African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (11), pp. 1330-1331, 4 June 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Short Communication

Effect of different media on the in vitro growth of cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) explants

B. S. Aliyu* and Y. Mustapha

Biological Sciences Department, Bayero University, Kano, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: balasidi@yahoo.com.

Accepted 21 March, 2007

The effect of media composition on the growth of cactus explants was investigated. Two media designated A and B were used in this study. Medium A contained basal Murashige Skoog salt (MS salt) and vitamins supplemented with 5% sucrose and 1% BAP (benzyl amino purines) and media B containing vitamins and MS salt supplemented with 3% sucrose, 1.25 mg/l BAP, and 0.25 mg/l IAA (indole acetic acid). These media were used to culture cactus explants over a period of 30 days, with a view to determine the effect of difference in the supplements on days to shoot emergence, shoot height, percentage survival and percentage oxidation (secretion of phenolic compounds) of the explants in. Analysis of the results indicated that there was no significant difference between the two media used in terms of the shoot height and days to shoot emergence.

Key words: Media, explants and growth.