Abstract
A comparative performance of two different media formulations (woody plant medium (WPM) and Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium) for their ability to inflict in vitro shoot development in nodal segments of Salix tetrasperma Roxb. has been carried out. Thidiazuron (TDZ) in various concentrations was used as a supplement to the basal media. Media types, TDZ concentrations, exposure duration and culture regimes played an important role in affecting multiple shoot production. WPM supplemented with 2.5 mu M TDZ for 4 weeks exposure was found to be the best for maximum (4.53 +/- A 0.27) shoots production in vitro. Transfer to a secondary medium consisting of 6-benzyladenine (1.0 mu M) and alpha-naphthalene acetic acid (0.5 mu M) enhanced the multiplication rate and by the end of 12 weeks, 20.33 +/- A 0.33 shoots with shoot length, 4.70 +/- A 0.26 cm were produced on WPM. Rooting of the regenerated shoots was achieved on half strength basal media (either WPM or MS) containing 0.5 mu M indole-3-butyric acid. In all the experiments, different growth parameters were scored and WPM was found to be superior to MS medium. The regenerated plantlets were successfully acclimatized in the field with about 81 % survival.