MICROPROPAGATION OF CITRUS-HALIMII - AN ENDANGERED SPECIES OF SOUTH-EAST ASIA

A successful system of direct organogenesis is described for the wild citrus tree, Citrus halimii Stone which used in vitro seedling explant s cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0.4-11.1 mu M 6-benzyladenine. Hypocotyl was the best explant for multiple shoots regeneration. Maximum number of shoots was obtained on medium with 2. 2-11.1 mu M 6-benzyladenine. Rooting of regenerated shoots was best on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2.7 mu M alpha-naphthale nacetic acid. In vitro and ex vitro rooted plantlets survived (on aver age 83.3%) after being transferred to the soil mixture consisting of s oil, sand and organic material (1 : 1 : 1) and kept in the glasshouse.