ADVENTITIOUS SHOOT REGENERATION FROM ROOT-TIPS OF INTACT SEEDLINGS OFAEGLE MARMELOS

Intact seedlings of Aegle marmelos Corr. were tested for their ability to produce adventitious shoots by direct culture of mature seeds on M urashige and Skoog (MSI) medium supplemented with different concentrat ions of benzyladenine (BA); 1-2 mg 1(-1) was found to be the optimum c oncentration. Addition of 0.1 mg 1(-1) indoleacetic acid (IAA) further increased shoot proliferation efficiency. Shoot buds originated from regions adjacent to the bases of cotyledons and cotyledonary axils and roots. In many cases, adventitious shoots were produced from the enla rged apical region of root. Shoots were rooted on MS medium supplement ed with indolebutyric acid (IBA). Rooted plantlets were successfully e stablished in soil.