In vitro shoot regeneration from cotyledonary node explants of a multipurpose leguminous tree, Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb..

A protocol has been developed for in vitro plant regeneration from cotyledonary nodes of Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. Multiple shoots were induced from cotyledonary nodes derived from 20-d-old axenic seedlings grown on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2.22-13.32 muM benzyladenine (BA) or 2.32-13.93 muM kinetin alone or in combination with 0.26 muM alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The highest frequency for shoot regeneration (85%) and maximum number of shoots per explant (9.5) were obtained on the medium supplemented with 4.44 muM BA and 0.26 muM NAA after 15 wk of culture. A proliferating shoot culture was established by repeatedly subculturing the original cotyledonary nodal explant on fresh medium after each harvest of the newly formed shoots. Nearly 30% of the shoots formed roots after being transferred to half-strength MS medium containing 9.84 muM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) after 25 d of culture. Fifty percent of shoots were also directly rooted as microcuttings on a peat moss, soil, and compost mixture (1:1:1). About 52% of plantlets were successfully acclimatized and established in pots.