High frequency in vitro shoot regeneration of Clitoria ternatea L. affected by different cultural conditions

An efficient in vitro propagation system was established for direct shoot regeneration in Clitoria ternatea L.. The regeneration protocol was standardized by using different explants, viz., nodal, cotyledonary node and shoot tip, on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of sucrose (1-6%), plant growth regulators BA and Kn (1.0-6.0 mu M), and different levels of pH (5.2-6.2). The highest mean number of shoots (18.7 +/- 1.0) was obtained from nodal explants on MS medium containing 3% sucrose and 0.8% agar supplemented with BA (5.0 mu M) at pH 5.8. In vitro regenerated and elongated shoots were rooted on 1/2 MS medium fortified with IBA (2.0 mu M). Complete plantlets were then hardened, acclimatized and transplanted to natural conditions, where they exhibited 80% survivability.