Bioactive compound and bioactivity fidelitous micropropagation method of Blumea lacera (Burm. f.) DC.: A large scale production potential

Abstract Blumea lacera (Burm. f.) DC. is an annually grown infallible medicinal plant that is used in many popular systems of traditional medicine but fresh plant material for medicinal uses and research purposes is critically unavailable year-round due to its very short life cycle. A micropropagation method of this medicinal plant ensuring fidelity of the bioactive compounds and bioactivity has thus been developed in order to maintain its year-round supply chain. In this regard, axillary multiple shoot regeneration from field grown nodal explant was established where the highest frequency (79.03 ± 0.04 %) induction of axillary multiple shoot bud organogenesis with the maximum number (13.60 ± 0.17 shoots/explant) of induced shoot bud was observed on MS + 3.0 mg/L BAP + 1.0 mg/L Kinetin medium. The induced axillary shoot bud exhibited the highest frequency (94.66 ± 0.33 %) of proliferation and elongation with the maximum number (32.16 ± 2.35) and length (7.28 ± 2.63 cm) of developed shoots/explant when sub-cultured in the same medium composition among tested media. The highest frequency (98.36 ± 0.85 %) of rooting with the maximum number (35.53 ± 1.53) and length (4.66 ± 1.72 cm) of root achieved on half-strength MS + 3.0 mg/L IAA medium. Explant suitability study found that in vitro grown leaf explants were superior over nodal explants for multiple shoot induction and proliferation. Leaf explants were collected from shoots that developed on MS + 1.5 mg/L BAP medium and cultured on MS + 3.0 mg/L BAP + 1.0 mg/L Kinetin medium. The cultures were maintained in the same medium composition following a subculture passages method for adventitious multiple shoot regeneration. A successive passage of subcultures achieved nearly 300 developed shoots/explant within 20 weeks. Regenerated plantlets retained all tested bioactive compounds and bioactivity properties like the donor plant thus maintaining medicinal fidelity.