Abstrait

Clonal propagation of Mentha arvensis L. through shoot tip and nodal explants

E.G.Wesely, M.Johnson, M.S.Kavitha, N.Selvan

The present study was aimed to produce an efficient direct micropropagation system forMentha arvensis Linn. a medicinally important plant using shoot tip and nodal segments as explants. Adventitious proliferation was obtained fromMentha arvensis shoot tip and nodal segments inoculated on Murashige and SkoogÂ’s basal medium with 3% sucrose and augmented with 6 - BenzylAmino Purine and Kinetin. Highest frequency of shoot proliferation (shoot tip 96.2 ± 0.84 and Nodal segments 94.6 ± 0.63) was observed in Murashige and SkoogÂ’s medium augmented with 1.5mg/l of 6-BenzylAmino Purine.After 8 weeks, maximumnumber (81.6 ± 0.96) of multiple shoots was obtained in shoot tip cultured on MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/l BAP in combination with 1.5mg/l of Kin.After 8 weeks, nodal explants cultured onMSmediumsupplemented with 0.5mg/l BAP in combinationwith 1.5mg/lKin showedmaximumnumber (72.3 ± 1.21) of shootlets per explants. Half strength Murashige and SkoogÂ’s medium with 3% sucrose augmented with 1.5 mg/l of Indole 3- ButyricAcid showed the maximumfrequency (95.2 ± 1.24) and maximum number (8.4 ± 0.7) of rootlets per shoot lets. The micropropagated plantlets genetic uniformity was confirmed through the isozyme analysis. The in vitro raised plants were hardened then transferred to field for re-establishment.