In Vitro Callus Induction and Plant Regeneration from Stem Explants of Ceropegia noorjahaniae, a Critically Endangered Medicinal Herb.

An efficient protocol has been developed for in vitro regeneration of a large number of plantlets of Ceropegia noorjahaniae Ansari via indirect organogenesis from stem explants excised from in vitro-germinated seedlings. The callus was efficiently induced from the stem explants using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with auxins and their combinations. The highest number of shoots (16.0 ± 0.2) and shoot length (5.5 ± 0.1 cm) was achieved when the callus was subcultured to MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine, BAP (2.0 mg/l) and indole-3-acetic acid, IAA (0.2 mg/l). The in vitro-developed shoots were rooted well in half-strength MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 0.3 mg/l of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The plantlets were successfully hardened with 82 % survival rate. This is the first report on the regeneration of plants through indirect shoot organogenesis from stem derived calli of C. noorjahaniae.