Micropropagation of Dendrocalamus asper by shoot proliferation using seeds

Abstract

An efficient and reproducible procedure for the large-scale propagation of Dendrocalamus asper is described. High-frequency direct shoot proliferation was induced in aseptic seed cultures of D. asper on modified Murashige and Skoog's (1962) medium supplemented with 1.0–10.0 mg/l benzyladenine (BA). Multiple shoots (1–25) were formed within 5 weeks of seed culture without root formation. The shoot-forming capacity of seeds was influenced by the BA concentration in the medium. Proliferating shoot cultures were established by repeatedly subculturing shoots in propagules of 3 shoots each. A multiplication rate of 15–16 fold was achieved on MS medium +3.0 mg/l BA. Roots were formed on excised propagules of 3–5 shoots when transferred to MS medium containing 10.0 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) or 3.0 mg/l 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Plantlets were hardened, acclimatized and established in soil, where they exhibited normal growth.