In Vitro Culture of Rheum emodi Wall: An Endangered Medicinal Plant of Northwestern Himalaya

Abstract

Rheum emodi Wall is a well-known medicinal plant found on high altitudes. The plant is under tremendous anthropogenic pressure due to its over exploitation. In this context, biotechnological intervention particularly tissue culture is the need of hours for its conservation. In the present study, a successful and reproducible protocol was standardized for the micropropagation of various R. emodi using various explants and treatments. The explants used were seeds, leaves, shoots and rhizomes which were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of phytohormones i.e. 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), kinetin, indole-3-acetic acid, napthalene acetic acid, indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, Zeatin and Thidiazuron. The most effective concentration and combination for the plantlet formation was MS + (15 µM) BAP + (15 µM) IBA.