In Vitro Mass Miltiplication of Morinda officinalis How (Rubiaceae)

The herbal remedy Morinda officinalis How (Rubiaceae) has been used to invigorate the kidney-yang, strengthen muscles and bones, and in impotence. In this study, a micropropagation protocol for the plant was proposed. Aseptic shoot cultures were established from single-node stem cuttings taken from 3-year old, field growing plants, on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, supplemented with 0.5 mg/l Kin. 100% of the shoot apices and single-node stem cuttings (1-1.5 cm long) from these aseptic in vitro shoots produced multiple shoots in MS medium containing 3 mg/l BAP. Shoots arose both directly from axillary buds and indirectly from the periphery of the basal cells of the explants. Maximum rates of multiplication averaging 18.808.99 and 23.529.26 were obtained for shoot apices and stem cuttings, respectively. The basal callus portions gave healthy shoots, and therefore were used for subcultures. Rooting of the single shoots was inhibited by both NAA and IBA at the concentrations 0.1-0.5 mg/l. 50-60% in vitro rooting was obtained in MS medium without any growth regulators in about 30 days, and plantlets were successfully transferred to the nurseries.