In Vitro Propagation of Murraya koenigii L. Spreng (Curry Leaf Plant) through Adventitious Shoot Proliferation from Internode Explants (original) (raw)

Murraya koenigii (L.)Spreng, commonly known locally as “kurry patta” or “mitha neem” in India, is a valuable medicinal plant known for its biochemical and aromatic properties. Adventitious regeneration, which is a pre-requisite in most genetic transformation studies using Agrobacterium and ballistics, needs to be developed as a protocol for micropropagation of M. koenigii.This paper presents a procedure for the rapid, high frequency regeneration of M. koenigii plantlets from internode explants via adventitious shoot formation. The concentration of plant growth regulators (PGRs) in liquid MS medium exhibited a discrete role in the efficacy of adventitious shoot induction. N6-benzyle adenine (BA), kinetin, adenine sulphate and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in combination were the most effective PGRs for adventitious shoot induction. Murashige and Skoog (MS) liquid medium with 9.29 µM kinetin, 13.317 µM BA, 2.854 µM IAA and 70 mg/l adenine sulphate yielded the maximum number (18) of shoot buds from internode explants. The number of shoots was further increased (27.30) after sub-culturing them into semi-solid (containing 8 g/l agar-agar) MS medium fortified with similar concentrations and combinations of PGRs. Most in vitro shoots (2.5-3.0 cm long), rooted (90%) on semi-solid MS medium containing 19.68 µM indole-3-butyric acid within 28-30 days. The rooted plantlets were transplanted into pots containing a mixture of soilrite (mixture of peat moss + vermiculite + perlite in a 1: 1: 1 ratio that was mixed with natural soil in the ratio of 1: 1) at 70-80% relative humidity and 28 ± 2°C for hardening. 85% of in vitro-raised plantlets survived under field conditions.