Abstract
Long-term culture establishment and efficient in vitro regeneration protocol for Sansevieria cylindrica Bojer ex Hook was developed using leaf derived callus and nodule culture. Profuse callus induction on leaf discs was achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 10 A mu M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), while a high frequency of nodulation was induced on 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) containing media. Shoot regeneration ability from cultured tissues occurred at varying degrees on all media. Through callus culture a maximum of 17.6 +/- 0.14 shoots per culture was formed on medium containing 5A mu M 6-benzyladenine (BA) and 2 A mu M alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Among nodule cultures, the 2,4-D generated nodules were more proliferative and regenerative as compared to 2,4,5-T induced nodules and a maximum of 25 +/- 0.16 shoots per culture was produced on a medium containing 5 A mu M BA plus 1 A mu M NAA. The regenerated shoots were successfully rooted on a semi-solid half strength MS medium containing 5 A mu M IBA with an average root number 3.5 +/- 0.18 and root length 6.5 +/- 0.14 cm. The regenerative ability of callus tissues was steady upto one year, while the nodules retained the totipotency to regenerate on optimal medium even after 3 years of subculturing. The histological sections of nodules confirm the typical anatomy exhibiting the vascular elements in bundles with well demarcated cortex and epidermal covering.