<i>In vitro</i> Germination and Micropropagation of <i>Aconitum vilmorinianum</i>: An Important Medicinal Plant in China

Aconitum vilmorinianum, a well-known traditional Chinese herb, is recently being threatened by overexploitation and environment disturbance. This study was conducted to provide propagation methods through in vitro germination and explant cultivation. Germination was stimulated up to 66.00% on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 2.0 mg L^?1 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), 0.1 mg L^?1 1-napthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and 30 g L^?1 sucrose. Three bacteria (Pantoea agglomerans, Erwinia persicina, and Pseudomonas tolaasii) would be responsible for consistent contamination during germination. The latter two were effectively eradicated after disinfected. The influence of explant types and hormone combinations on direct and indirect organogenesis was evaluated in the present work. The frequency of shoot induction from axillary bud explants was 100% on the MS fortified with 2.0 mg L^?1 BAP and 0.3 mg L^?1 NAA. Shoots multiplication was optimized on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg L^?1 thidiazuron (TDZ) and 0.1 mg L^?1 NAA. High callus induction percentage (96.67%) was obtained from stem segments on MS medium with 2.0 mg L^?1 2,4-D, then successfully regenerated into shoots on MS medium in the presence of 0.1 mg L^?1 TDZ and 0.2 mg L^?1 NAA. The present work could be useful for the utilization and conservation of this valuable species.