Abstract

ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EFFICIENT EXPLANT SURFACE STERILIZATION PROTOCOL FOR IN VITRO MICROPROPAGATION OF SALACIA CHINENSIS L., AN ENDANGERED ANTI-DIABETIC MEDICINAL PLANT

Majid BN, Roopa G, Sampath KKK, Kini RK, Prakash HS, S Abbagani, Kiani Mehdi, Geetha N*

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the most efficient explant surface sterilization protocol for in vitro micropropagation of an endangered medicinal plant, Salacia chinensis. Healthy, undamaged collected explant sources were washed twice with running tap water. The explants then were prewashed by concentrated dishwasher gel (3-4 drops in 100 ml sterile, distilled water) for 5 min followed by rinsing five times in sterile, distilled water. Surface sterilization with 70% ethanol for 1 min followed by 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCI) (+ 2-3 drops of Tween 20) for 15 min proved most effective for maximum survival percentage (99%) in leaf explants whilst 70% ethanol washing for 2 min, followed by 0.1% mercuric chloride (HgCl2) for 5 min proved to be more effective for maximum survival percentage (96%) in nodal explants. The described method has this potential to be successfully employed for micropropagation and in vitro conservation of S. chinensis.

Keywords: Celastraceae, Salacia chinensis, anti-diabetic medicinal plant, micropropagation, surface sterilization