2024, Vol. 7, Special Issue 5

author(s)
S Swagath Kumar, Anuradha Sane, M Lakshminarayana Reddy, Leela Sahijram and AVD Dorajee Rao

abstract
Propagation of Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae L.) from seeds is a slow and complicated process due to the hard endocarp that encloses the seed and hinders germination. A study was undertaken to optimize in vitro protocol for mass multiplication of ‘Bird of Paradise’ (Strelitzia reginae L.). The experiment consisted of four treatments with growth regulators, viz., GA₃ @1mg L^-1; GA₃ @3mg L^-1; GA₃ @5mg L^-1; and, GA₃ @1mg L^-1 + BA @1mg L^-1 with various medium components (½ MS + Sucrose @1% + Gelrite 3g L^-1 + Inositol 100mg L^-1 + Thiamine-HCl @ 1mg L^-1 + Biotin 2mg L^-1; and, medium with ½ MS + Sucrose @1% + Gelrite 3g L^-1 + Inositol 100mg L^-1 + Thiamine- HCl @1mg L^-1 + Biotin 2mg L^-1 (Control). Results from the experiment showed the significant differences between the treatments. The maximum rate of contamination was found in control while, minimum was in GA₃ @ 5 mg L^-1 and GA₃ @ 1mg L^-1+ BA @ 1 mg L^-1 treatments. Higher rate and percentage of culture response (zygotic embryos germinated) were recorded in GA₃ @ 1 mg L^-1. Growth parameters such as shoot length (cm), root length (cm) and number of leaves per plant were maximum in ½ MS+ Sucrose @ 1% + Gelrite 3 g L^-1 + Inositol 100 mg L^-1 + Thiamine- HCl @ 1 mg L^-1 + Biotin 2 mg L^-1 + GA₃ @ 1 mg L^-1+BA @ 1 mg L^-1 treatments. On the basis of overall results, our study confirmed that the media composed of ½ MS+ Sucrose @ 1% + Gelrite 3g L^-1 + Inositol 100mg L^-1+ Thiamine-HCl @1mg L^-1+ Biotin 2mg L^-1+ GA₃ @1mg L^-1 accelerated the germination rate and the combination of GA₃ @1mg L^-1 + BA @1mg L^-1 growth regulators showed the better growth performance in in vitro propagation of ‘Bird of Paradises’ (Strelitzia reginae L.).