IN-VITRO CULTURE OF XANTHIUM-STRUMARIUM (COCKLEBUR)

Xanthium strumarium L. was micropropagated by rooting shoots prolifera ted from shoot-tip explants. The best shoot proliferation was obtained from explants growing on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 4.4 to 8.9 mu M benzyladenine (BA) and 1.1 to 2.1 mu M naphthaleneace tic acid (NAA). The micropropagated plants were transferred to potting media and maintained under high humidity conditions in the greenhouse . The media that produced best shoot proliferation from shoot-tip expl ants also produced the most callus from hypotocotyl, cotyledon and sho ot-tip explants, whereas more callus was produced on leaf explants wit h a lower BA concentration (1.1 mu M) and 1.1 mu M NAA.