An Improved Micropropagation Protocol byEx VitroRooting ofPassiflora edulisSims. f.flavicarpaDeg. through Nodal Segment Culture
A procedure for rapid clonal propagation ofPassiflora edulisSims. f.flavicarpaDeg. (Passifloraceae) has been developed in this study. Nodal explants were sterilized with 0.1% HgCl2and inoculated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium. The addition of 2.0 mgL−16-benzylaminopurine (BAP) to MS medium caused an extensive proliferation of multiple shoots (8.21±1.13) primordial from the nodal meristems. Subculturing of these multiple shoots on the MS medium augmented with 1.0 mgL−1of each BAP and Kinetin (Kin) was successful for the multiplication of the shootsin vitrowith maximum numbers of shoots (25.73±0.06) within four weeks of incubation. Shoots were rooted best (7.13±0.56roots/shoots) on half strength MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mgL−1indole-3 butyric acid (IBA). Allin vitroregenerated shoots were rooted byex vitromethod, and this has achieved 6-7 roots per shoot by pulsing of cut ends of the shoots using 200 as well as 300 mgL−1IBA. The plantlets were hardened in the greenhouse for 4-5 weeks. The hardened plantlets were shifted to manure containing nursery polybags after five weeks and then transferred to a sand bed for another four weeks for acclimatization before field planting with 88% survival rate.