Objective: To develop a simple, cost effective and efficient medium by using sugarcane bagasse as a base material to replace the conventional Murashige and Skoog medium. Materials and Methods: Water extracts of sugarcane bagasse alongwith some macronutrients and plant growth regulators were gelled with 0.7% agar-agar powder. Nodal segments of G. kurroo were used as explants and inoculated in the medium and placed in growth chamber under standard conditions of light and temperature. Out of the tested combinations of plant growth regulators, 0.5 mg/l each of KN and BAP showed the excellent shoot multiplication and proliferation rate on the bagasse medium with the same potential as on the MS medium with an average of 5 or - 6 shoots / explant. In vitro rooting was obtained on half strength MS medium supplemented with IBA (0.5 mg/l) with an average length of 7-8 cm and 20-25 roots/ explant. The plants were hardened in a mixture of clay loam and farmyard manure (FYM) in 1:1(w/w) with 70-80% survival rate without any phenotypic abberations. Conclusion: The results from the present investigation indicate that sugarcane bagasse can be used as a cost effective substitute of MS medium for in vitro propagation of G.kurroo.
Key words: Agricultural waste, Gentiana kurroo, in vitro propagation, Murashige and Skoog (MS), sugarcane bagasse.
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