EFFECT OF SEASON AND GROWTH REGULATORS ON IN VITRO PROPAGATION OF JACKFRUIT (ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS LAM)

Abstract

The present study was conducted at the Laboratory of Plant Tissue Culture of Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, during the period from September, 2004 to May, 2005 with a view to study the effect of time of the year and growth regulators on in vitro propagation of jackfruit. Shoot tips from fresh sprouts on the trunk of mature jackfruit trees (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) were used as explants. The explants were collected at three different times of the year from the same jackfruit plants viz. 5/09/04, 18/10/04, 5/01/05. The collected explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with NAA-0.5 mgl-1 and fortified with different levels (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mgl-1) of BA to study the proliferation and multiplication of shoots from the cultured shoot tips and their subsequent growth and development. The in vitro shoot bud proliferation, multiplication and survivability were found better when the explants were cultured in January. BA at a concentration of 1.5 mgl-1 was found most suitable for shoot proliferation and multiplication. And all the three concentrations of BA varied significantly. The survivability of the proliferated shoot buds was found better in concentration of BA at 1.0 and 1.5 mgl-1.