REGENERATION OF PLANTLETS FROM IN-VITRO CULTURED COTYLEDONS OF AEGLE-MARMELOS CORR (RUTACEAE)

Cotyledons from seedlings of various ages of Aegle marmelos were cultu red on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different com binations of phytohormones. The optimum seedling age was 10 days for s hoot induction response and benzyladenine (BA) was superior to either kinetin, isopentenyladenine or zeatin. The optimum cytokinin (BA) conc entration for bud induction was 2 mg l-1. The addition of indole-3-ace tic acid (IAA; 0.2 mg l-1) improved shoot regeneration efficiency. The proximal part of the cotyledon had the highest regeneration potential . Adventitious shoots were elongated on MS medium containing 0.5 mg l- 1 kinetin and 0.1 mg l-1 gibberellic acid. Approximately 25% of regene rated shoots were induced to differentiate roots on half-strength MS m edium with 0.5 mg l-1 indole-3-butyric acid. The rooted plantlets were successfully transplanted to soil.