RAPID PROPAGATION OF AGAVE BY INVITRO TISSUE-CULTURE

A procedure for rapid propagation of Agave (A. cantala Roxb., A. fourcroydes Lem. and A. sisalana Perrine, (Agavaceae) have been developed. The explants were excised from stolon plantlets, sterilized and cultivated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing 2% sucrose, 10% coconut water and 0.8% agar. The addition of following combination of growth substances-0.075 mgl-1 naphthalenacetic acid (NAA)+0.1 mgl-1 indolylbutyric acid (IBA)+0.5 mgl-1 kinetin (KIN) caused an extensive proliferation of multiple shoot primordia. Subcultures of these on the same medium were successful for the multiplication with an index of 3-4 times per 4 weeks subculture period. Shoots were rooted on hormone free MS medium and then transferred into a sand bed for acclimation before field planting. © 1990 Kluwer Academic Publishers.