Micropropagation of Dendrocalamus asper by shoot proliferation using seeds

An efficient and reproducible procedure for the large-scale propagation of Dendrocalamus asper is described. High-frequency direct shoot proliferation was induced in aseptic seed cultures of D, asper on modified Murashige and Skoog's (1962) medium supplemented with 1.0-10.0 mg/l benzyladenine (BA). Multiple shoots(1-25) were formed within 5 weeks of seed culture without ro ot formation. The shoot-forming capacity of seeds was influenced by the BA concentration in the medium. Proliferating shoot cultures were established by repeatedly subculturing shoots in propagules of 3 shoots each. A multipl ication rate of 15-16 fold was achieved on MS medium +3.0 mg/l BA. Roots we re formed on excised propagules of 3-5 shoots when transferred to MS medium containing 10.0 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or 3.0 mg/l 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Plantlets were hardened, acclimatized and established in soil, where they exhibited normal growth.