In vitro propagation schedule of Picrorhiza kurroa: An endangered medicinal plant of Central Himalaya

Abstract: Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth (Kutki) has traditionally been used to treat disorders of the liver and upper respiratory tract, fever, and to treat dyspepsia, chronic diarrhoea and scorpion sting in Ayurveda medicine owing to the presence of active principles in root and rhizomes. The plant is self-regenerating but unregulated over-harvesting has caused it to be threatened to near extinction. The current research describes a protocol of micro propagation of this important medicinal plant from establishment to hardening in field conditions. Multiple shoots were induced in apical and axillary meristems derived from mature explants on Murashige and Skoogs (1962) medium supplemented with 0.25 mg L^-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), 0.25 mg L^-1 kinetin (KN), 0.5 mg L^-1 ascorbic acid and 3% (w/v) sucrose. Optimal rooting (86.6%) and growth of microshoots were observed on a medium containing 0.25 mg L^-1 indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) with 2 % (w/v) sucrose. Micropropagated plantlets were acclimatized and successfully grown in soil.