In vitro micropropagation of Piper longum - an important medicinal plant

Efficient and rapid tissue culture systems were developed for Piper longum, an important medicinal plant, through shoot tip multiplication and direct regeneration. Multiple shoots were induced from shoot tips cultured on agar-based Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 4.44-22.19 µ M benzyladenine (BA) and 4.64-13.9µ M kinetin (K). Maximum number of shoots were induced with 8.9 µ M BA and 4.64 µ M K. Adventitious shoot regeneration from leaf segments was achieved on MS containing 3.6-22.19 µ M BA along with 3.31-12.4 µ M picloram (P). Shoot differentiation occurred directly from the leaf bases without intermediale callus formation. Maximum shoot buds were obtained on MS medium with 17.76 µ M BA and 8.28 µ M P. Elongated shoots were separated and rooted in MS supplemented with 2.46 µM indole butyric acid (IBA). Plantlets, thus developed were established in soil