In Vitro Morphogenesis and Plantlet Regeneration in Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers Ex Hook. F. & Thoms from Cultured Leaf Discs

Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers ex Hook. F. & Thoms is one of the significant medicinal plants used in traditional ayurvedic treatment. In current study, an effectual and reproducible plant regeneration system was established via indirect organogenesis from inoculated leaf discs excised from one-year-old greenhouse-established plant. During the shoot multiplication, leaching of phenolics was evident commonly and to elude this, two adjuvants namely: ascorbic acid and activated charcoal were used. Supplementation of 100 mgl-1 ascorbic acid in amalgamation with 5.0 gL-1 activated charcoal with appropriate plant growth regulators to MS medium abridged phenol secretion eventually leading to enhanced plantlet regeneration and diminished leaf defoliation. An average (11-12) initiation days was observed for callus initiation on MS medium amended with 3.0 mg L-1 2, 4-D with 100 % callus induction aptitude with a mean fresh weight of 13.20g. Maximum shoot proliferation (84.34%), shoot numbers (5.12±0.24) with bigger length (5.84±0.29 cm) and leaf numbers (6.12±028) were attained on MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg L-1 BAP in association with 2.0 mg L-1 Kn after 40 days of culture. The highest (82.82%) response of root initiation, number of roots (4.12±0.24) with greater length (5.14±0.28 cm) was recorded on 1/2 MS medium amended with 1.0 mg L-1 IBA after 45 days of transferring of shootlets in rooting medium. Among different potting mixtures, maximum survival (75%) with highest plant height (16.12±0.42cm) was evident in amalgamation of cocopeat: vermiculite (1:1) under greenhouse circumstances after 45 days of hardening. Plants after acclimatization established well in nature. Though the characters were not counted quantitatively, regenerants seemed phenotypically normal and true-to-the types.