In vitro clonal propagation of biodiesel plant (Jatropha curcas L.)

In the present investigation, in vitro clonal propagation of seven-month-old Jatropha curcas L. was achieved employing nodal explants. Axillary shoot bud proliferation was best initiated on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium supplemented with 22.2 mu M N-6-benzyladenine (BA) and 55.6 mu M adenine sulphate, in which cultures produced 6.2 +/- 0.56 shoots per nodal explant with 2.0 +/- 0.18 cm average length after 4-6 Weeks. The rate of shoot multiplication was significantly enhanced after transfer to MS basal medium supplemented with 2.3 mu M 6-furfuryl amino purine (Kn), 0.5 mu M indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 27.8 mu M adenine sulphate for 4 weeks. Both shoot number (30.8 +/- 5.48) and average shoot length (4.8 +/- 0.43 cm) were found to increase significantly. About 52% of root induction occurred in MS basal medium supplemented with 1.0 mu M IBA in 2-3 weeks. Further elongation of roots with average length of 8.7 +/- 1.35 cm was obtained in unsupplemented MS basal medium for 2-3 weeks. The plantlets (12-16-week-old) were successfully acclimatized in soil with 87% survival frequency.