Abstract

Scutellaria orientalis L. subsp. Bicolor (HOCHST.) Edmondson is a perenniel endemic shrub bearing pale grey-white or pale grey-white violet flowers that grows on poor soils or marginal lands. They have high value as rock garden plants and in managed arid land scaping. They are also important medicinally for valuable secondary metabolites of pharmaceutical importance. The current study aimed to determine in vitro propagation of S.orientalis sub sp. Bicolor using cotyledon leaf, cotyledon petiole, cotyledon node and hypocotyl explants. Healthy green shoots were regenerated on above mentioned explants containing 1 and 2 × KH2PO4 concentrated MS medium containing variants of TD for shoot regeneration. Maximum shoot regeneration was noted on cotyledon node explants on 2 × KH2PO4 concentrated MS medium containing 0.04 µg/ml TDZ. Well developed shoots were rooted on 1 × KH2PO4 concentrated MS medium containing 0.50 µg/ml NAA and the developing plants were acclimatised in greenhouse. They flowered and set seeds. It was concluded that doubling potasium phosphate concentration in MS medium was helpful in reduction or non induction of hyperhydricity on TDZ regenerated shoots. The results of these studies may serve to provide basic information for scutellaria mass propagation, breeding and genetic transformation studies in future.

Key words: KH2PO4, mass propagation, MS medium, skullcaps, Thidiazuron,