CLONAL PROPAGATION AND EVALUATION OF PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY DURING IN VITRO RHIZOGENESIS IN MENTHA ARVENSIS L.

摘要

A rapid and efficient plant propagation system through nodal explants was developed for in vitro propagation of Mentha arvensis. Nodal explants exhibited high frequency shoot proliferation on Murashige and Skoog’s (MS) basal medium supplemented with 0.5 mg l^-1 BAP (6-benzylaminopurine). Microshoots were best rooted on ? strength MS medium with 0.5 mg l^-1 IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) and 2% (w/v) sucrose. Plantlets with high (= 0.8) Fv/Fm (φ_P0 – maximum quantum yield of primary photochemistry) were successfully shifted to natural conditions. The overall survival rate from in vitro growth to field transfer was 74%. The developed micropropagation protocol can be successfully used for large-scale multiplication and genetic modification of this high value medicinal plant species. In addition, the results of this study also indicate the key role of Gpx (guaiacol-peroxidase) as a marker of in vitro rhizogenesis in M. arvensis.