SYNTHETIC SEED PRODUCTION AND PHYSIO-BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES IN CASSIA ANGUSTIFOLIA VAHL. – A MEDICINAL PLANT
Siddique, Iram . 2014
Synthetic seed technology is an alternative to traditional micropropagation for production and delivery of
cloned plantlets. Synthetic seeds were produced by encapsulating nodal segments of C. angustifolia in
calcium alginate gel. 3% (w/v) sodium alginate and 100 mM CaCl2 ∙ 2H2O were found most suitable for
encapsulation of nodal segments. Synthetic seeds cultured on half strength Murashige and Skoog medium
supplemented with thidiazuron (5.0 μM) + indole-3-acetic acid (1.0 μM) produced maximum number
of shoots (10.9 ± 0.78) after 8 weeks of culture exhibiting (78%) in vitro conversion response.
Encapsulated nodal segments demonstrated successful regeneration after different period (1–6 weeks) of
cold storage at 4 °C. The synthetic seeds stored at 4 °C for a period of 4 weeks resulted in maximum
conversion frequency (93%) after 8 weeks when placed back to regeneration medium. The isolated shoots
when cultured on half strength Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1.0 μM indole-3-butyric
acid (IBA), produced healthy roots and plantlets with well-developed shoot and roots were successfully
hardened off in plastic pots containing sterile soilrite inside the growth chamber and gradually
transferred to greenhouse where they grew well with 85% survival rate. Growth performance of 2 months
old in vitro-raised plant was compared with in vivo seedlings of the same age. Changes in the content of
photosynthetic pigments, net photosynthetic rate (PN), superoxide dismutase and catalase activity in
C. angustifolia indicated the adaptation of micropropagated plants to ex vitro conditions.
Keywords: Antioxidant enzymes – encapsulation – rooting – synthetic seeds – Thidiazuron
Synthetic seed technology is an alternative to traditional micropropagation for production and delivery of
cloned plantlets. Synthetic seeds were produced by encapsulating nodal segments of…
An effective and improved plant regeneration system was successfully developed using shoot tip explants taken from a two years old mature plant of Cassia angustifolia.