Borassus Pulp as Substitute for Sucrose and Vitamins for in Vitro Cultures of Some Indian Medicinal Plants

Medium composition for the callus induction, shoot multiplication in four Indian medicinal plants, Boerhaavia diffusa, Baliospermum axillare, Abutilon indicum and Nymphoides cristatum were standardized using Murashige and Skoog`s plant tissue culture medium as the basal medium. The protocol thus standardized was further evaluated replacing sucrose and vitamins with the fruit pulp of Borassus flabellifer (double coconut). Nicotiana tobaccum, a well studied tissue culture plant system was also included as an experimental control. The substitution of sucrose and vitamins in the medium with borassus pulp did not significantly alter the pattern of response towards callus induction, regeneration of shoots and their further multiplication in any of the plant system tested. It was also observed that borassus pulp imparted a mild cytokinin-like effect leading to suppression of shoot height coupled with improved shoot number and enhancement of shoot regeneration from the callus. However, borassus pulp could not consistently support shoot growth for more than two subcultures. The results clearly indicated that borassus pulp, though replaced sucrose and vitamins in a tissue culture medium, such an effect was short-lasting