REGENERATION OF AN ANTICARCINOGENIC HERB, CURCULIGO-ORCHIOIDES (GAERTN)

Curculigo orchioides is an endangered anticarcinogenic herb. It is ava ilable only during the monsoon season, which lasts approximately 4 mo. each year. In vitro culture of the plant can ensure its availability throughout the year. Leaf explants of Curculigo orchioides cultured on a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without cytokinins produced a limit ed number of plantlets that originated directly from the cut end of th e midrib. 6-Benzyladenine CBA) (0.44-6.66 mu M) was needed to produce plantlets from rhizome explants. A higher concentration of BA (2.22-4. 44 mu M) resulted in nodular callus that when transferred to cytokinin -free medium formed shoots. The shoots were rooted on media supplement ed with either (0.54-5.37 mu M) of l-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (0.5 7-5.71 mu M) of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), or (0.49-4.90 mu M) indole -3-butyric acid (IBA). Plantlets were kept in sterile sand for 3-4 d a nd then transferred to soil.