Micropropagation of a medicinally important plant: Bacopa monnieri

摘要

Bacopa monnieri (L.). Pennell is a medicinal herb of immense therapeutic value best known as a nootropic drug and a potent nervine tonic. In the present work, micropropagation of Bacopa monnieri was successfully achieved through multiple shoot induction. The plants of B. monnieri were procured from the Herbal Garden and Agro-Research Department of Patanjali Yogpeeth, Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Nodal segments containing preformed axillary buds and leaf explants were used. Surface sterilized explants wereaseptically cultured on MS medium with different concentrations of plant growth regulators. Multiple shoot formation from nodal and leaf explants was most efficient in MS basal medium without the use of any growth regulators. Shoot elongation and rootingwas induced on half strength MS media supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IAA. The in vitro developed rooted plantlets were transferred to soil: vermiculite mixture (50:50 ratio) in plastic pots for hardening. The acclimatized plants were then successfully transferred to soil where they exhibited normal growth.