Virus-Free Plant Regeneration from Shoot Apical Meristem of Coccinia grandis L., an Important Medicinal Plant in Bangladesh

The present investigation was under taken to establish an efficient protocol for virus free plant regeneration in Coccinia grandis L. through shoot apical meristem culture. Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium, each supplemented different concentrations and combinations of 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP), gibberellic acid (GA3), naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) were used for meristem establishment, shoot regeneration and root induction as well as elongation. MS liquid medium supplemented with 1.0mgL-1BAP+0.10mgL-1NAA was found to be the best medium for primary establishment of meristems. MS medium containing 1.5mgL-1BAP+0.5mgL-1GA3+0.5 mgL-1NAA was found to be best for shoot regeneration percentage at 100.0±0.0 and multiplication with 10.0±0.8 shoots per meristem as well as shoot elongation (highest 9.0±0.0 cm). In vitro grown shoots were subcultured and rooted with 11.0±0.8 roots per shoot subsequently on MS medium having 0.5mgL-1IBA. Well rooted plantlets were gradually acclimatized and successfully established in the field condition with 100% survival rate.