Rapid Micropropagation of Cassia siamea

The present investigation deals with rapid micropropagation of Cassia siamea Lam. belonging to the family Caesalpiniaceae. This protocol was developed for multiplication by using shoot tip, cotyledonary node, and nodal explants derived from seedlings grown in vitro. Explants were cultured on MS, B5 and MS macro salts + B5 micro salts medium supplemented with various hormones alone and/or in combinations. Maximum response was observed with nodal explant on MS macro salts + B5 micro salts medium induced with thidiazuron (TDZ) 0.5 mg/l with shoot number of 6.70 and shoot length of 3.95 cm. Maximum number of shoots 20.15 was induced on MS macro salts + B5 micro salts medium containing kinetin (KN 0.1 mg/l) + TDZ (0.1 mg/l) + 6-(?,?-dimethylallylamino)- Purine (2-ip 2.0 mg/l). The shoots were sub cultured on medium containing 2-ip (2.0 mg/l) + gibberellic acid (GA3 3 mg/l) for elongation. High frequency of rooting (70%) was obtained on half strength MS medium, naphthalene -1- acetic acid (NAA 1 mg/l) and indole -3 - butric acid (IBA 0.25 mg/l). The plantlets were hardened and 40% of plants were successfully established in natural soil.