DIRECT IN-VITRO REGENERATION OF LEAF EXPLANTS OF WITHANIA-SOMNIFERA (L) DUNAL

An efficient in vitro propagation protocol by organogenesis was develo ped for Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. Leaf explants of in vitro grown 2-month-old seedlings on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) basal medium supp lemented with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and N-6 benzylaminopurine (BA P) formed directly shoots. The shoots could be easily elongated as wel l as rooted on MS medium supplemented with 0.044 mu M BAP. The establi shment of in vitro grown plantlets in pots containing a mixture of san d:soil (1:1 v/v) was 100%. By this protocol, 1600 plantlets on an aver age can be produced from a single leaf.