STORAGE, REGENERATION AND GENETIC STABILITY OF SYNTHETIC SEEDS OF OCHRADENUS ARABICUS: A HIGH VALUE MEDICINAL PLANT

摘要

Ochradenus arabicus is an important medicinal plant found in Saudi Arabia. Synseeds were produced from in vitro growing shoots obtained from stem segments cultured on MS (Murashige and Skoog) supplemented with 1.0 μM benzyl adenine (BA). The encapsulated buds werestored at 4 ℃ for60 days. Their conversion and regeneration ability was evaluated over 60 days of storage. The non dry and dry synseed showed growth after 30 days of culture on MS medium containing 1.0 μM BA, maximum (100%) conversion observed upto 30 days of storage in both type of synseeds. Decline in conversion frequency (93.3%-83.3%) of both types of synseed was observed after 30-60 days of storage. Regenerated shoots (13.66-15.66 shoots/synseed) were obtained on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 μM BA. These shoots were separated and rooted on MS medium containing 0.5 μM NAA and acclimatized and hardened plantlets transferred to the field. One month old plantlets taken from the field did not show any morphological anomalies compared to mother plants while storage on low temperature. The genetic fidelity of synseed raised plantlets were also studied to compare them with mother plant by inter-simple sequence repeats analysis. Molecular profiles of regenerated plantlets and mother plant did not show any change among clones; which confirm their genetic stability. Thus the protocol developed would help in in vitro clonal propagation, conservation, short-term storage and exchange of germplasm of this medicinal plant.