Cytokinin Induced Multiple Shoot Induction from Node Explants of Daemia extensa (Jacq.) R.Br – A Potentially Important Medicinal Plant

In vitro shoot and multiple shoot induction was achieved in one of the important medicinal plants of Asclepiadaceae family, Daemia extensa (Jacq.) R.Br., which has been historically been used to treat a wide assortment of diseases. Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L BAP was found to be optimum to induce shoots (100 %) directly from the node explants. Significant increase in the number of shoots per explant was found in MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L BAP and 15 mg/L adenine sulphate. All the tested combinations have little effect on increasing the number of shoots. The present study established reliable and reproducible protocol for rapid multiple shoot induction from node explants of Daemia extensa using different concentrations and combinations of cytokinins.