In vitro shoot tip multiplication of bambara groundnut [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Vigna subterranea</Emphasis> (L.) Verdc.]

A rapid, simple and efficient protocol for direct in vitro multiple shoot induction and plantlet recovery was achieved from shoot tip explants of Bambara groundnut Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.]. Shoot tips, were isolated from in vitro-grown seedlings and cultured on Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) containing Gamborg’ vitamins (B5) and supplemented with different concentrations of the plant growth regulators Thidiazuron (TDZ), N⁶-benzylaminopurine (BAP), Kinetin (KIN) and Adenine sulfate (ADS). TDZ 0.45 μM was found to be best for shoot multiplication with a mean of 11shoots per explant. Among the carbon sources tested, the best response in terms of mean number of shoots per explant was obtained with sucrose (11). The mean number of shoots per explant induced among the studied landraces of Bambara groundnut varied from 9 to 13. Individual shoots, aseptically excised, produced normal roots within 2 weeks on the basal MS medium supplemented with Indole Butyric Acid (IBA) or Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The highest number of roots per shoot and the longest roots were obtained on MS medium with 2 mg/L IBA. Rooted plantlets were successfully hardened under greenhouse conditions and subsequently established in the field conditions, with a recorded survival rate of 70 and 80?%, respectively. The transferred plants in the field were morphologically normal and fertile. This protocol can be efficiently used for mass propagation, germplasm preservation and probably also for gene transfer of Vigna subterranea (L.).