MICROPROPAGATION OF MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT WEED, Acorus calamus, RHIZOME EXPLANTS WITH INDIGENOUS NATURAL GROWTH REGULATORS

A novel, cost-effective and indigenous micro-propagation protocol for the endangered A. calamus was successfully developed. Tang II (Natural Growth Substances) in a concentration of 20 ml L^-1 was found as the best growth regulator for both shooting and rooting of the explants. It required 3.38 days to bud-break, showed 86.66% bud-break, 1.26 shoots per explant and produced the lengthiest shoots (2.15 cm) in rhizome explants at the end of first week after inoculation. Furthermore, Tang II (H) which required 3.92 days to bud-break stood out as the best growth regulator even at the end of fourth week after inoculation. It also revealed the highest bud-break of 93.33%, 1.25 mean number of shoots per explant and the lengthiest shoots (11.33 cm on the average). Similarly, it required 10.94 mean number of days for root initiation, initiated roots in 66.66% of explants, recorded 3.05 average number of roots per explant and 3.75 cm average root length. Moreover, the survival rate of micro-propagated plantlets, which were transferred to soil to be grown under natural conditions was 83.00%.