Towards Conservation of Threatened Ceropegia Species Endemic to a Biodiversity Hotspot: In Vitro Microtuber Production and Proliferation, a Novel Strategy
Twenty-eight of 44 Indian Ceropegia species are endemic and their survival is threatened. As a step towards conservation, we implied in vitro methods for the sustainable propagule production in C. hirsuta, C. lawii, C. maccannii, C. oculata and C. sahyadrica. Effects of explant, growth regulators, sucrose and photoperiod were studied. High frequency microtuber production was achieved with the seedling-apical buds, grown on MS medium containing 4-6 mg l-1 BAP, 3-8% (w/v) sucrose, under continuous illumination. Each microtuber, when subcultured proliferated to form a cluster of secondary microtubers. Every primary and secondary microtuber bore at least one shoot-bud and a root primordium. Each tuber (formed with any of the significantly effective treatments) weighed more than 500 mg, enough to plant directly in non-sterilized soils. Microtubers could be produced and proliferated round the year. Proliferation could be solely attributed to in vitro procedures as these plants bear solitary tubers in vivo. Microtubers could be sprouted in vitro to prepare ready to pot plantlets. As, this novel method succeeded for all five species, though they belong to different eco-physiological backgrounds, we recommend its implementation in the conservation programs for a broader range of Ceropegia species, supported by other integrated strategies.
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ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION MATERIALS AND METHODS RESULTS Morphology of microtubers Effect of explant Effect of PGRs on microtuberization Effect of sucrose on tuberization Effect of day length on tuberization Species specific response Sprouting of tubers DISCUSSION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS LITERATURE CITED
Sagar Subhash Pandit [ 1Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune-411008, MS, INDIA ]
Corresponding author
Aneeshkumar Nair [ 1Plant Molecular Biology Unit, Division of Biochemical Sciences, National Chemical Laboratory, Dr. Homi Bhabha Road, Pune-411008, MS, INDIA ]
Dhiraj Dilip Naik [ Department of Biology, West Virginia University, 53 Campus Drive, P.O. Box 6057, Morgantown, WV-26506, USA ]