EFFICIENT PLANT REGENERATION FROM SHOOT TIP EXPLANTS OF Gloriosa superba L.: AN ENDANGERED ANTI CANCER MEDICINAL PLANT

Glory lily (Gloriosa superba L.) is an important anticancer plant, which became rare and endangered species due to over exploitation. The present experiment is mainly focused to develop an efficient micropropagation protocol for high frequency plant regeneration using shoot tip explants of Gloriosa superba L. Shoot tip explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAP and KIN (1.0–9.0 mg/l) alone for shoot bud induction. For shoot bud multiplication, the initiated shoot buds were subcultured onto the medium containing different concentrations of BAP and KIN (1.0–9.0 mg/l) in combination with 0.5 mg/l NAA. The highest frequency of shoot regeneration (84%) with maximum number of  multiple shoots (26 shoots) was noticed on MS medium supplemented with 7.0 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA combination which was found to be the best combination than KIN and NAA combination. Highest percent (89%) of shoot bud elongation (˃7 cm) was observed on MS medium fortified with 7.0 mg/l BAP and 1.5 mg/l GA3 combination. The elongated shoots were dissected out and placed on half-strength MS medium containing different concentrations of IBA (0.5–2.5 mg/l) for root induction. Highest percent of root induction (73%) was observed on a medium containing 2.0 mg/l IBA. The rooted plantlets were successfully transferred to plastic cups and subsequently they were established in the greenhouse. The survival rate noticed was 75%. The regenerated plantlets did not show any morphological variability. The present plant regeneration protocol could be used to produce large scale plants for commercial cultivation in the near future.