Micropropagation through leaf cultures of Agave vera-​cruz Mill

A protocol for micropropagation of Agave vera-​cruz Mill. through leaf culture has been developed. In vitro grown immature leaf explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium with L2 vitamins (MMS) contg. 3​% Sucrose and 0.8​% Agar. Callus was initiated on MMS plus 2,​4-​D(4.52 mM) plus BAP (8.8 mM)​. Highest rate of regeneration was obsd. when this callus was sub-​cultured on MMS plus 1AA (17.10 mM) plus BAP (17.6 mM)​. Shoots of about 5-​6 cm were excised along with basal callus from the mother callus and sub-​cultured on MMS plus IBA (2.52 mM) plus BAP (8.8 mM) plus GA3 (2.5 mM) for further proliferation and elongation of shoots. Roots were developed at the base of these shoots after two weeks of culture on the same medium. Regeneration of the plantlets through organogenesis was confirmed by histol. studies. Four months old plantlets were transferred to pots contg. sand, soil and manure in the ratio of 1:1:1 without any intervening hardening phase. Seventy to 80​% of survival was recorded