In vitro clonal propagation of bird eye chilli (Capsicum frutescens Mill.)

An efficient and highly reproducible protocol for micropropagation of bird eye chilli Capsicum frutescens was attempted. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 0.5-3.0 mgl-1 of 6-benzyladenine (BA), 2-isopentenyl adenine (2iP), kinetin and 0.5-2.0 mg l-1 of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) along with 1 gl-1 activated charcoal (AC) were used for shoot regeneration from both shoot tip and nodal explants. Shoot tip explants (100%) grew well on medium containing 1 mgl -1 of kinetin and 1 mgl-1 of IBA. Shoot proliferation (1-3) from nodal explants was effective on this medium. The regenerated shoots with 4-7 nodes had further growth upon sub-culturing onto kinetin (1 mgl -1) and IBA (1 mgl-1) and rooted simultaneously. The rooted plants were transferred to pots after hardening under controlled conditions. The survival percentage in pots was 80-90%.