Abstract
Ochradenus baccatus (Del.) is one of the high value medicinal plant of Saudi Arabia. The plant is used particularly in lowering blood cholesterol level and counteracting malaria. The propagation of the species in Saudi Arabia and other allied areas is scarce. Therefore, we have developed an effective regeneration method of mass propagation of this potential plant. In vitro shoot multiplication was obtained from cotyledon and shoot axis on the MS medium containing 2.0 mu M (BA) and 4.0 mu M (NAA). The shoots were further multiplied on the MS medium containing (0.5-5.0 mu M) BA and 2ip individually. BA was better in enhancing the multiplication of shoots. These shoots were routinely cultured on the MS medium with BA at 1.0 mu M concentration which resulted in a fair amount of shoots per subculture at one month interval. The multiplied shoots were exposed to the MS medium supplemented with IBA and NAA. This resulted in reduced percent rooting. Rooting was enhanced when the shoots pulse treated with IBA (25-200 mu M) at 5, 10 and 15 days. When the shoots were transferred to the MS medium without any PGR maximum (96.6%) rooting was achieved on treatment with 100.0 mu M IBA for 10 days. Plants were acclimatized on different soils. Highest (70%) survival was obtained on sterilized soil with FYM. Efforts are being made to transplant the In vitro developed plants to the natural habitat.