MULTIPLE SHOOT PRODUCTION IN-VITRO OF THE TROPICAL TIMBER TREE, SENTANG (AZADIRACHTA-EXCELSA LINN.)

Axillary buds from 5-month-old seedlings of Azadirachta excelsa Linn. were surface-sterilized twice with 1.35% (m/v) and 1.05% (m/v) of sodi um hypochlorite for 25 and 15 minutes, respectively, before culturing on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing combinations of BA and N AA. A combination of 4.4 mu M BA + 0.5 mu M NAA induced the most axill ary buds to grow (eight per explant). Subsequent proliferation of the micropropagated shoots on this medium yielded abnormal shoots. The bes t medium for maximum proliferation of these micropropagated shoots con tained 3.3 mu M BA and 0.27 mu M NAA. On this medium about four normal shoots were produced per explant These findings indicate that two dif ferent media are needed for successful micropropagation of sentang. Ch emical names used: N-6-benzylaminopurine (BA); 1-naphthaleneacetic aci d (NAA).