Rapid multiplication and in vitro production of leaf biomass in Kaempferia galanga through tissue culture

An efficient protocol has been established for rapid multiplication and in vitro production of leaf biomass in Kaempferia galanga L, a rare medicinal plant. Different plant growth regulators like Benzyladenine (BA), Indoleacetic acid (IAA), Indolebutyric acid (IBA), Napthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and adenine sulphates (Ads) have been tried for induction of multiple shoots using lateral bud of rhizome as explants. The highest rate of shoot multiplication (11.5 +/- 0.6) shoot/explant as well as leaf biomass production (7.4 +/- 0.3) gram/explant was observed on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with Benzyladenine (1 mg/l) and Indoleacetic acid (0.5 mg/l). Data of shoot multiplication and leaf biomass production were statistically analysed. Upon excission of leaves after 2 months of culture under sterile condition, the base of each plantlet was transferred to fresh media which could produce the same leaf biomass within another 2 months in a 50 ml culture tube containing 20 ml and 250 ml conical flasks containing 30 ml Murashige and Skoog medium. The rate of multiplication and leaf biomass production remained unchanged in subsequent subcultures. The regenerated plantlets were acclimatized in greenhouse and subsequently transferred to the field. Survival rate of the plantlets under ex vitro condition was 95 percent. Genetic fidelity of the regenerants was confirmed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) marker. The protocol could be commercially utilized for large scale production of true-to-type plantlets and as an alternative method of leaf biomass production in Kaempferia galanga.

High frequency in vitro production of microrhizomes of Curcuma amada.

Microrhizomes were induced at the base of the in vitro derived shoots of Curcuma amada grown in the liquid MS medium supplemented with BA (5 mg/l), sucrose (80 g/l) and incubated under 16 hr photoperiod. They were produced year round in culture, harvested after 90 days of growth in medium, and could be used as seeds and germinated to plantlets showing normal growth.