DIRECT SHOOT MULTIPLICATION IN OCHRADENUS ARABICUS, AN ENDEMIC MEDICINAL PLANT OF SAUDI ARABIA

In vitro studies were carried out with Ochradenus arabicus for rapid micropropagation from embryo explants. Direct regeneration of shoot buds of O. arabicus was observed in MS basal medium supplemented with varying levels of either benzyladenine (BA) or kinetin (Kn). Embryos produced multiple shoots on Murashige and Skoog's medium (MS) containing 1.0 mu M BA after 25 days of inoculation. Number of shoots depended on type of cytokinin and its concentrations. Maximum number of shoots (56) was derived from MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mu M BA, which declined with a further increase in BA concentration. Kinetin also induced multiple shoots at higher concentration (2.0 mu M) but the number of shoots produced was very low (15). The shoot buds elongated well on MS medium with 1.0 mu M BA. The shoots thus obtained were rooted on MS medium supplied with 0.5 mu M NAA after 20 days of culture. The plantlets so developed were transferred to soil after proper acclimatization.