CLONAL PROPAGATION OF CNIDIUM-OFFICINALE BY SHOOT-TIP CULTURE

Multiple shoots were induced from the apical domes of shoot tips of Cn idium officinale Makino (Apiaceae) by culturing them on Murashige and Skoog (MS) 1 static media solidified with 0.2 % gelrite and supplement ed with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) 10(-6) M. An average of 5.3 shoots p er segment were obtained within 6 weeks and this ability did not decli ne even after two years of subculture. Subsequent transfer of these re generated shoots on MS media supplemented with alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 10(-7) M and BAP 10(-7) M resulted in root formation. Root ed plantlets were able to grow in soil after a short period of acclima tization. Cytological observation in root tip cells of cultivated, as well as in vitro propagated plantlets revealed that in both cases the cells had 2n = 22 chromosomes indicating the homogeneity of the clonal ly propagated plants.