COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF LIQUID AND SEMISOLID CULTURE SYSTEM FOR In vitro PROPAGATION AND CONSERVATION OF Caralluma edulis: AN APPETITE SUPPRESSANT MEDICINAL SUCCULENT OF THE INDIAN THAR DESERT

Present report describes an efficient in vitro regeneration protocol for propagation of very important medicinal rare plant species Caralluma edulis by use of two different media systems i.e. liquid and semi solid (agar gelled). Study also evaluates the regeneration capacity of Caralluma edulis towards both media systems. Nodal shoot segments (3-4 cm) were used as explants. Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) medium containing 1.0 mg l-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and 0.1 mg l-1 indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was found optimum for bud break with 86% regeneration response and rapid bud break was recorded (within 7-10 days) on liquid MS medium as compared to semi solid medium (18-20 days). Shoots were multiplied by successive transfer of mother explants (explant by which cultures were initiated) and by subculturing of in vitro regenerated shoots (progeny shoots) on different concentrations of BAP alone and in combination with auxin (IAA). About 11 shoots with shoot length of 5.73±0.25 cm were achieved on MS liquid medium fortified with 0.25 mg l-1 BAP + 0.1 mg l-1 IAA. For rooting, the in vitro shoots were pulse treated with 100 mg l-1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for five minutes; thereafter transfer to glass bottles containing sterile soilrite in the greenhouse. About 98% shoots were rooted successfully. The rooted plantlets were acclimatized in the green house and established in the field condition with 87% survival rate. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on micro propagation of Caralluma edulis using nodal segments in liquid MS medium.