Abstract
The present study exemplifies morphogenic roles played by copper and zinc during micropropagation of Rauvolfia serpentina, an important medicinal shrub. Incorporation of 20 mu M CuSO4 or 25 mu M ZnSO4 to a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with optimized concentrations of auxins and cytokinins induced a maximum number of shoots per explant (40.67 +/- 1.76 and 45.47 +/- 0.24, respectively). However, higher concentrations of both the micronutrients negatively affected the morphogenic potential. The pigment content of the regenerants increased up to the optimal concentrations of both metals and thereafter decreased, whereas the maximum proline content was at the highest concentrations used. In vitro rooting of healthy shoots was accomplished using 0.5 mu M IBA in a half strength liquid MS medium with 8.20 +/- 0.37 roots, and root length of 5.50 +/- 0.14 cm per microshoot. The plants survived a hardening procedure and were successfully acclimatized to field conditions with 95 % survival.