In vitro propagation of Aegle marmelos (L.) corr., a medicinal plant through axillary bud multiplication

A protocol for rapid in vitro propagation from nodal explants of the medicinal tree species Aegle marmelos (L.) corr. of family Rutaceae has been described. High frequency bud break were induced on Murashige and Skoog’s (1962) basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg benzyladenine (BA)/l. After 10 days of culture, nodal explants with multiplied buds started callusing with restricted growth and defoliation. When the same nodal explants ware transferred into the same basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg BA/l with different concentrations of either kinetin (KN) or gibberellic acid (GA3) or in combinations has shown healthy shoots with expanded shoot length. Excised shoots (2cm-3cm long with 2 to 3 nodes) when grown on 1/2 MS basal medium with 2.5 mg/l indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.5% activated charcoal (A.C.)/l has shown rhizogenesis. After excision, in the second passage, the nodal explants also showed bud break when sub cultured on MS basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg BA/l. These shoots also successfully rooted on the same above said medium.