Short Communication

Regeneration of plantlets from leaf and internode explants of Phyllanthus amarus Schum. and Thonn.

R. Chitra*, K. Rajamani and E. Vadivel
 

Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-3, Tamil Nadu, India.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: cithuhort2003@yahoo.co.nz.

Accepted 4 October, 2007

A procedure is outlined for indirect organogenesis of Phyllanthus amarus using leaf bits and internodes. Profuse callusing of leaf discs and internodes were obtained on Murashige and Skoog’s basal medium supplemented with NAA and 2,4-D. The callus thus obtained was repeatedly sub-cultured at 3 weekly intervals for four cycles. High frequency of callus proliferation was obtained when the callus was sub-cultured on MS medium supplemented with BAP (1.0 mgl^-1) and glycine (50.0 mgl^-1). Complete plantlets were obtained when the callus was sub-cultured on MS medium supplemented with BAP (2.0 mgl^-1) and GA₃ (0.5 mgl^-1). Rooting (87.09%) of the shoots was best achieved on half strength MS medium supplemented with IBA (0.5 mgl^-1) and IAA (0.5 mgl^-1). Regenerated plants were successfully transferred to soil after acclimatizing them in the plant growth chamber.

Key words: Phyllanthus amarus, callus, internode, leaf, micropropagation.