Clonal micropropagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crataeva adansonii</Emphasis> (DC.) Prodr.: A multipurpose tree

Summary A method of micropropagation through multiple shoot formation from axillary buds of mature tree and rootstock growths of Crataeva adansonii (DC.) Prodr. (a multipurpose tree) has been developed. Factors affecting multiplication rate included season, age of explant source, explant type, type of bud, position of bud on the foliage twig, type of medium, various additives, and explant implantation on the medium. The maximum number of buds was produced from the sixth to 10th axillary buds taken from foliage twigs of 40–50-d-old rootstock growth in the months of October to December. At this time of the year the contamination was minimum. Optimum response was recorded on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA; 3 mgl⁻¹, 13.3μM) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 0.05 mgl⁻¹, 0.27 μM) after 21 d of culture. Shoot buds were further multiplied and maintained on BA (1–1.5 mgl⁻¹, 4.4–6.7 μM) while shoots elongated on BA (0.1–0.5 mgl⁻¹, 0.44–2.2 μM) supplemented medium. The number of shoots was further multiplied by using nodal segments of in vitro-regenerated shoots as microcuttings and repeated subculturing of stumps after excising the microshoots. In vitro rooting on growth regulator-free MS medium was possible with 70% of microshoots after 4 wk. From one nodal segment 150 plantlets were produced within 14 wk.