Adventitious Rooting and Proliferation from Different Explants of Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad an Endangered Medicinally Important Cucurbit

An efficient procedure has been developed for induction of adventitious rooting and proliferation from different explants of Citrullus colocynthis. Leaf, stem, cotyledon and hypocotyledon explants cultured on different concentration of auxins and cytokinins, were supplemented on MS medium to test their ability to induce rhizogenesis. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic (2,4-D), indoleacetic acid (IAA), Indole-Butyric Acid (IBA) and Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA). Each at the concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mg LG were evaluated for their effects on adventitious root induction in the present study. High concentration of IAA (2.0 mg LG) and low concentration of IBA (1.5 mg LG) is best for induction of rhizogenesis. High concentration of IBA favored formation of malformed and thick roots. The NAA in combination with IBA is most potential in inducing high percentage of rooting (50%) and IAA in combination with IBA induced maximum rooting 62% with highest number of roots per shoot (3.80±0.2) and root length (3.8±0.1 cm) were obtained from leaf, cotyledon and stem than hypocotyls. Results revealed that, the best rooting ability was observed from in stem explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg LG IAA and 1.5 mg LG IBA, multiple roots fibrous were produced from cotyledon explants on MS fortified with 2.0 mg LG 2,4-d and multiple roots cluster produced from leaf explants 1.5 mg LG IBA and 2.0 mg LG IAA. A distinct feature of this study is the adventitious rooting and proliferations from different explants of Citrullus colocynthis which has not been reported previously.