Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2001: 3(2): 103-104

Effect of nodal position and season on in vitro shoot proliferation in aonla (Emblica officinalis Gaertn.)

Maneesh Mishra; Pathak, R K

N.D. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad (UP) - 224 221, India.

Emblica officinalis [Phyllanthus emblica] nodal shoots excised from the top or middle portion of the canopy (1st to 10th, 10th to 15th, 15th to 20th, 20th to 25th, or 25th to 30th node) from April to July, August or November, or December to March were cultured in Murashige and Skoog's medium containing 0.8% agar, 3% sucrose, 0.4 mg kinetin/litre, and 0.4 mg gibberellic acid/litre at 25+or-2 degrees C and 50-55% relative humidity. Nodal shoots excised from the 10th to the 15th node exhibited the greatest bud induction and produced the longest indeterminate shoots (0.83 cm). The shoots excised from the 1st to the 10th node did not survive due to the inability of the shoots to withstand the toxic effect of sterilants an antioxidants. The shoots collected from the 20th to the 30th node showed low bud induction, probably due to tissue maturity. Bud induction and growth of indeterminate shoots were most pronounced in explants collected during August-November. Bud break was not observed in explants collected during December-March because this period coincided with the dormancy period in E. officinalis. The highest bud induction rate (76.40%) was obtained with explants excised from the 10th to the 15th node during August-November.