In vitro propagation of Ziziphus mauritiana cultivar Umran by shoot tip and nodal multiplication

Shoot tip cultures of field-grown Ziziphus mauritiana cultivar Umran prolif erated rapidly in vitro on MS medium containing 100 mg/l glutamine, 125 mg/ l myo-inositol and 0.1 mg/l benzyladenine (BA), Multiple shoots were obtain ed from the shoot tip and stem nodal explants cultured on MS medium supplem ented with 0.01-0.1 mg/l BA. Isolated shoot tips elongated in MS medium and produced plantlets with 6-7 nodes within 3 weeks time. A 7-fold multiplica tion was achieved in MS medium without any growth regulators. Isolated plan tlets were rooted in MS medium containing 10 mg/l indolebutyric acid (IBA). Rooted plantlets were planted in sterile soil mix and gradually acclimatiz ed to the greenhouse environmental conditions. Hardened plantlets were main tained in the greenhouse for the field transplantation.