Comparative analysis of the in-vitro effects of various sterilization techniques and different disinfectants on the micropropagation of explants of Asparagus Racemosus

Abstract

Asparagus racemosus belongs to the Asparagaceae family and the Asparagus genus is an endangered plant species that have been listed in the red data book. For the conventional breeding of the Asparagus racemosus, its tubers are used whichpossess a wide range of antioxidants, leading to the wastage of highly oxidative tuber roots. Using the in-vitro propagation method we can propagate Asparagus racemosus using its nodal explants successfully only in a contamination-free environment. The sources of contamination can be present in the media or associated with the explantswhich need to be eradicated using various sterilization techniques and disinfectants. This paper presents two different sterilization techniques and treatment of disinfectant Sodium hypochlorite used to sterilize the media and the explants. The media was sterilized using an autoclave and microwave oven with the treatment of explant with sterilizing agent sodium hypochlorite in three concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% for 5 min. The nodal explants were cultured in MS basal medium supplemented with 30g sucrose, as a carbon source and 7g agar, as a gelling agent. The temperatureinside the growth chamber was maintained at 24±2°C with a photoperiod of 16 h daylight and 8 h dark.