Standardization of protocol for in vitro clnal propagation in pomegranate Punica granatum L cultivars

Abstract

A study on Standardization of protocol for in vitro clonal propagation in newlinepomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars was undertaken at Tissue Culture newlineLaboratory, Horticulture Research Station, Kovvur, to identify an effective newlineprotocol for pre-treatments, surface sterilization, culture establishment, control of newlinephenol exudation, shoot proliferation, in vitro rooting and ex vitro hardening of newlinenodal cuttings of two pomegranate cultivars viz., Bhagwa and Super Bhagwa. newlineThe less (42.86%) percent of explant total mortality and higher percent newline(57.31%) of explant survival were noticed by dipping of nodal cuttings in newlinecombination of Carbendazim (50% WP) 0.2% + (Metalaxyl-M (4% w/w) + newlineMancozeb (64% w/w)) 0.2%+8 HQ 200ppm 1 h (T5) over the seven treatments newlinetested in both the cultivars. The treatment of explants with mercuric chloride newline(HgCl2) at 0.1% for 6 min (T3) had recorded the highest percent (67.41%) of newlineexplant survival by reducing the total mortality rate (32.58%) among the newlinedifferent surface sterilants tested in both the cultivars. newlineThe explants of pomegranate cv. Bhagwa inoculated on MS media newlinesupplemented with different combinations and concentrations of plant growth newlineregulators had performed well over the explants cv. Super Bhagwa in terms of newlinenumber of sprouts explant-1 newline(2.34), shoot length (2.41cm), percent callus newlineinduction (1.81%) and culture establishment index (140.42). The culturing of newlinenodal explants of pomegranate cultivars on MS media supplemented with 1mgL-1 newlineof BAP and 0.5 mgL-1 of NAA (T2) had recorded the less number of days for bud newlineinitiation (10.45d), maximum percent (86.83%) of culture establishment, number newlineof sprouts (4.49), leaves (7.83), shoot length (4.05cm) explant-1 and culture newlineestablishment index (390.52) over other treatments. newlineThe inoculation of explants of pomegranate cv. Bhagwa on best media newlineselected from experiment-2A was supplemented with phenol exudation newlinecontrolling chemicals had recorded the highest percent (52.10%) of explant newlinesurvival and the lowest percent (45.02%)