Gibberellic acid improved shoot multiplication in Cephaelis ipecacuanha

The internodes of Cephaelis ipecacuanha elongated when cultured on Gamborg B5 solid medium supplemented with 0.5 or 1 mg/L gibberellic acid (GA₃). The size of the elongated internode doubled in length compared to the untreated shoots, and the adventitious shoots formed on the elongated internodes. The shoots grew easily into plantlets without the use of auxin for rooting. The ex vitro regenerates cultivated in the greenhouse showed normal characteristics. Emetic alkaloids were detected in the leaves of in vitro shoots and the roots of regenerates cultivated in the greenhouse. This method using GA₃ propagated numerous plants at a rate of more than 100 times compared to the method without GA₃.