Micropropagation of Bauhinia variegata L. Through Tissue Culture

ABSTRACT: Bauhinia variegata L. locally known as “Koiralo” attains a medium sized tree with valuableflowers. The healthy seeds were surface sterilized by treating with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution (NaClO)for 20 minutes and removed the traces of NaClO by washing thoroughly with sterilized distilled water five timesand then cultured on Murashige and Skoog (1962) (MS) medium. Multiple shoots were obtained from nodalsegments of in vitro grown plantlets. Cultured nodal explants were first sub-cultured on MS plus 0.5 µMBAP(6-Benzylaminopurine) to multiply for the screening test of growth hormones. Nodal segments inoculatedon the medium with various combinations of BAP and IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid) and separately showed variedresults. Propagated plants were successfully acclimatized and rooted in the pot (6 cm diameter) in the 1:1 ratiosoil and sand. The experiments were performed twice and the results obtained were calculated by SPSS, asystem of analytical procedure.

Keywords: Bauhinia variegata, Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium, nodal culture, BAP and IAA