Influence of Different Macro and Micro Nutrients on the Shoot Multiplication of Centella asiatica

The present study deals with the optimization of adventitious shoots cultures of Centella asiatica for maximum shoot proliferation under the influence of different nutrient manipulation. The effects of nitrogen source (NH4NO3/KNO3), carbon (sucrose), potassium source (KNO3), phosphorous source (KH2PO4), macronutrient (MgSO4) and micronutrient (MnSO4) of Murashige and Skoog (MS) media on shoot growth were investigated and these experiment treatments were supplemented with 1 mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) plant hormones. The shoot growth was influenced by relative ratio of NH4+:NO3- with maximum shoot number (47.6 ± 1.52) in medium containing 100 mM (40 mM NH4NO3:60 mM KNO3) nitrogen source when NO3- concentration is higher than NH4+ ions. The MS media with 3% sucrose content showed optimum shoot multiplication (36 ± 1), as with increase in carbon concentration in the media, the shoot proliferation was drastically reduced. In case of media with 30% potassium (KNO3) highest number of shoots (31.66 ± 1.52) observed and in case of 150% phosphorous (KH2PO4) highest shoot number (28 ± 1) obtained respectively. The influence of metal ions like Mg2+ and Mn2+ showed maximum number of shoots (31 ± 1) in media with 1.5 mM magnesium (MgSO4) and shoot number (43 ± 2) in 200 μM manganese (MnSO4) respectively.