IN VITRO REGENERATION OF CACTUS (Opuntia monacantha L.)

Abstract

The present study was carried out at the laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207, during the period from January, 2019 to December, 2019 to determine the evaluation of the effect of different plant growth regulators (BA and IBA) on in vitro plantlet regeneration of Cactus. The young cladodes of Cactus were used as explants and they were cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium (MS media) supplemented with Benzyladenine (BA) with different concentrations (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 and 3 mg/L) and Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 mg/L) either alone or in combination of both. The experiments were arranged in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five replications. The highest shoot number (4.4, 5.4 and 6.6 cm) and shoot length (2.58 , 5.1 and 7.18 cm) was found in 2.5 mg/L BA at 2 WAI, 3 WAI and 4 WAI, respectively. The maximum number of roots (4.8, 6.4 and 6.8) were recorded from 2.0 mg/L IBA supplemented media. The maximum shoot induction (94.6%) in minimum days (5.2) was observed with 2.5 mg/L BA+2.0 mg/L IBA. The highest number of shoots ( 4.2, 5.2 and 7.0) were found in 2.5 mg/L BA+2.0 mg/L IBA. The highest number of roots induction (94.6%) was recorded with 2.5 mg/L BA + 2.0 mg/L IBA supplemented media in minimum days (5.2). The highest length of root (3.4, 5.7 and 7.30 cm) at 2 WAI , 3 WAI and 4 WAI, respectively was found in 2.5 mg/L BA + 2.0 mg/L IBA. The survival rate of regenerated plantlets were 100% in growth chamber, 90% in shade house and 100% in field condition. Therefore, an effective protocol had been developed for in vitro regeneration of Cactus which can meet up the great commercial demand for the aesthetic, medicinal and fruit need for the year round production in Bangladesh and can act as the strategic tool to combat desertification in arid and semi arid regions. xii