Influence of silver nitrate and glutamine on in vitro organogenesis of Lota Bhot (Capsicum chinense Jacq.), an indigenous pungent pepper variety of Assam

ABSTRACT

Northeast India including Assam is one of the richest centers of pepper diversity. Chilli peppers are valued commercially owing to their pungency ingredient, capsaicin. Capsicum chinense variety Lota Bhot is an extremely pungent chilli pepper indigenous to Assam with tremendous potential for pharmaceutical applications. An attempt was made to standardize an efficient micropropagation protocol using silver nitrate (AgNO3 ) and glutamine as the key components alongside other plant hormones. In vitro propagation was carried out with seed and shoot tip explants. MS medium supplemented with different combinations of plant growth hormones (BAP, GA3 , NAA, and IBA), fortified with AgNO3 and glutamine was used for regeneration of Lota Bhot. Addition of AgNO3 and glutamine into the culture medium greatly improved proliferation in selected In vitro plantlets. A maximum number of multiple shots was recorded in plantlets derived from shoot tips. The process of flower induction and fruit formation In vitro were found to be more productive when treated with AgNO3 along with GA3 . IBA generated better results in the process of root initiation than NAA. The response of shoot tip explants towards In vitro processes was better than seed explants. Sterile soil enriched with vermicompost upgraded the chances of acclimatization of In vitro raised healthy plantlets.