Influence of plant growth regulators on plant regeneration from epicotyl and hypocotyl explants of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb – an ethnomedical plant

This study demonstrates the morphogenic potential of Caesalpinia bonduc (L.) Roxb, a traditional medicinal plant of the family Fabaceae/ Caesalpinaceae. The present study was designed to examine the effect of phytohormones on plant regeneration from epicotyl and hypocotyl explants of C. bonduc. The dormancy of the seeds was overcomed by acid scarification.. Of the two explants tested, 92 percent frequency of shoot regeneration and maximum number of shoots (3.6 ± 0.3), were noticed from the epicotyl explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 6-benzyladenine (BA) 3.0 mg/L, Indole– 3acetic acid (IAA) 1.0 mg/L and Poly vinyl pyrrolidone 100 mg/L at pH 5.8. Elongated shoots were individually rooted on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/L Indole -3-butric acid (IBA) and exhibited 93 % frequency of root development. The in vitro raised plantlets were potted and acclimatized under culture condition for four weeks and transferred to the green house. This efficient protocol will be helpful for propagation of woody climber plants belongs to the family Caesalpinaceae and could be used for genetic transformation study.