An improvised in vitro vegetative propagation technique for Bambusa tulda: influence of season, sterilization and hormones

Season and concentration of sterilizing agents play a significant role for establishment of aseptic in vitro shoot cultures and sprouting of nodal explants from field growing culms of bamboo species. In the present investigation the nodal segment explants of Bambusa tulda Roxb collected in different seasons and treated with various concentrations of HgCl2 showed significant variation in aseptic culture establishment and bud break. The rainy season (July-August) recorded with highest of 78% aseptic culture establishment whereas autumn recorded with lowest 46%. Summer and winter seasons emerged to be the best period, registering > 60% in vitro bud break. On the other hand, the autumn season had the lowest value for bud break, i.e. 42%. Among different doses of sterilizing agent tried, HgCl2 0.1% found to be suitable for maximum aseptic culture establishment (66%) as well as bud break (59%). However, among the interactions, summer season and the dose of 0.1% HgCl2 exhibited maximum of 73% response for both aseptic culture establishment and bud break. MS medium (liquid) enriched with 5.0 A mu M BA + 5.0 A mu M Kn [Kinetin (N6-Furfuryladenine)] with additional supplementation of 100 A mu M glutamine + 0.1 A mu M IAA supported a maximum in vitro shoot multiplication of 4.75 fold. The proliferated shoots were successfully rooted on MS medium (liquid) supplemented 40 A mu M coumarin. The plantlets transferred to the polythene bags showed 98% survival.