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In vitro organogenesis and plant regeneration of Thymus serpyllum L.: an important aromatic medicinal plant

  • Plant Tissue Culture
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Abstract

An efficient in vitro propagation system has been developed for the rapid micropropagation of Thymus serpyllum L. (Banajwain), an aromatic medicinal herb from nodal explant on MS medium. Phenolic leaching and high rate of contamination was the most significant problem in establishing in vitro culture of Thymus serpyllum which was overcome by preparing explants in an antioxidant ascorbic acid (1000 ppm) at 6°C for 45 min and addition of the same antioxidant (50 mgl−1) to the MS medium. The frequency of shoot production was influenced by different cytokinins (Kn, BAP, and Kn + BAP) and 95.56% shoot induction was observed when MS medium was supplemented with 1.0 + 2.0 mgl−1 (Kn + BAP). The maximum average number of shoots 16.93 ± 2.15 and average length (3.98 ± 0.55) was recorded when MS medium have 0.5 + 2.0 mgl−1 (Kn + BAP). The in vitro regenerated microshoots were rooted on MS and half strength MS medium and there was significant difference in root induction on both media under the influence of auxins (IAA, IBA, and NAA). The maximum average number (11.67 ± 3.03) and average root length (3.88 ± 0.71) was reported in half MS medium having 1.0 mgl−1 IBA. The complete regenerated plantlets were acclimatized under growth chamber before transferring to the earthen pots and showed 90% survival.

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Abbreviations

AA:

Ascorbic acid

BAP:

6-Benzyl amino purine

IAA:

Indole 3–acetic acid

IBA:

Indole 3–butyric acid

Kn:

Kinetin

MS:

Murashige and Skoog

NAA:

ᾳ-Naphthalene acetic acid

PPM:

Parts per million

v/v:

Volume/volume

w/v:

Weight/volume

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Acknowledgments

The authors are highly thankful to Dr. Ram Krishan, Mr. Arvind Kumar, and Mr. Ravinder Singh for their help during plant collection and providing plant material when required. The first author is highly thankful to Dr. Harish Kumar and Dr. Vijaya Laxmi for their valuable help during the entire research work. The authors are also thankful to Mr. Vinay Kumar and Mr. V.S. Gussain for their unconditional help during acclimatization work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory, Campus Pauri, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, 246001, India

    Arun Kumar Khajuria & NS Bisht

  2. Department of Botany, Cluster University Jammu, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, 180001, India

    Arun Kumar Khajuria

  3. Department of Botany, Government Degree College Kathua, Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, 184104, India

    Nisha Bhagat

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  1. Arun Kumar Khajuria
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Khajuria, A.K., Bisht, N. & Bhagat, N. In vitro organogenesis and plant regeneration of Thymus serpyllum L.: an important aromatic medicinal plant. In Vitro Cell.Dev.Biol.-Plant 56, 652–661 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-020-10094-9

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