In Vitro Multiplication of Paedaria foetida L — A Rare Medicinal Plant

Paedaria foetida L, which has great medicinal value is facing danger of extinction. For its conservation, in vitro multiplication may prove one of the best techniques. Micropropagation of P. foetida has been achieved through the culture of nodal explants. The explants produced shoots on MS medium with 0.8% agar. This medium, however, caused high degree of browning of the explants and death of sprouted shoots. Agar free liquid MS medium with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) proved better. Maximum shoot proliferation, free from callus and vitrification but with poor rooting could be obtained in liquid MS medium with PVP (0.8%), NAA (0.5 mg l^?1) and BA (2.0 mg l^?1). The best rooting occurred on semisolid MS medium containing 0.8% agar and 0.5 mg l^?1 IBA.