Effect of Environmental Factors on Successful in vitro Morphogenesis of Madhuca longifolia

Madhuca longifolia is a commercially important tree species commonly known as mahua. The livelihood of large populations of tribal people depends on collection of its flowers and seeds. Almost all the parts of Mahua are utilized in diversified uses like in industry as artificial sweetner, biodiesel, food products, in soap industry etc. In the present study, a successful attempt was made to establish in vitro cultures of Mahua from nodal segments and factors influencing in vitro morphogenesis were evaluated as propagation through seeds and cuttings encounters problems. Axillary bud break (64.44%) was successfully achieved by culturing nodal segments on Murashige and Skoogs (MS) medium supplemented with 3 mg l-1Benzyladenine (BA) in nodal explants collected during the months ofJuly-September (rainy season).Shoot multiplication with maximum number of shoots, maximum number of leaves and longest shoots was achieved on MS medium supplemented with 3 mg l-1 BA when a subculture cycle of 30 days was followed. On MS medium supplemented with 2 mg l-1 Indole-3-Butyric Acid (IBA), in vitro excised shoots were successfully rooted (55.55%) after 40 days. A two step method was employed for successful hardening of rooted plantlets. Firstly, the plantlets were transferred for one week in 1/2 strength of MS liquid medium. Then, the plantlets were transferred to root trainers containing soilrite soaked with inorganic salts of ½ strength MS medium. The hardened plantlets were acclimatized firstly in a mist chamber and then in polybags in shade house. The present study provides an effective means for in vitro shoot regeneration and plantlet formation through nodal segments of Madhuca longifolia, a commercially important tropical tree with multifarious uses.