In Vitro Regeneration of Red Squill Urginea Maritima (L.) Baker. Using Thidiazuron

ABSTRACT

The study reports an efficient in vitro micropropagation of Red squill (Urginea maritima (L.) Baker), an important medicinal plant of Mediterranean region, from single and double scale explants. The explants were cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of Thidiazuron with initial culturing in darkfor eight weeks followed by transfer to 16 h light photoperiod or culturing them in 16 h light photoperiod only. The results showed that initial growth of explants in dark for eight weeks was inhibitory and produced negligibly low number of bulbs on both explants. Contrarily, 16 h light photoperiod resulted in varying frequency of bulblet regeneration on single and double scale explants. Double scale explants were more potent for bulblet regeneration compared to single scale explants. Single scales produced only axillary bulblets with a frequency of 0.90–1.33 bulblets per expalnt. Contrarily, both adventitious and axillary bulblets were recorded on double scales. These explants produced maximum number of 1.17 adventitious bulblets and 3.58 axillary bulblets per explant on MS medium containing 0.55 mg/l TDZ. The frequency of axillary bulblets regeneration remained higher compared to the frequency of adventitious bulblet regeneration on all concentrations of TDZ. All axillary bulblets rooted on the mother regeneration media. However, the adventitious bulblets could only be rooted on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/l IBA. All bulblets established in the growth chamber were transferred to the field for further observations and flowering.

Keywords:

• Red squill
• in vitro
• regeneration
• TDZ
• single scales
• double scales
• axillary bulblets
• adventitious bulblets