In vitro Propagation and Cell Suspension Culture of Callistemon citrinus L.

Abstract

The bottle brush tree, Callistemon citrinus is a shrub that is nearing extinction. An attempt to revive this plant and propagate it in vitro has been performed for large scale production. Calli cultured on MS medium with different combinations of cytokinins and auxins viz . 1.0 mg/l Kinetin along with 1.0 mg/l IAA; 1.5 mg/l Kinetin along with 1.0 mg/l IAA; 1.0 mg/l Kinetin along with 1.0 mg/l IBA, and 2.0 mg/l Kinetin along with 1.5 mg/l IBA. All combinations were very effective in inducing callus. 0.5 mg/l kinetin along with 0.5 mg/l IAA was very effective for shoot regeneration and shoot elongation. The developed shoots when transferred to MS medium, supplemented with 1.5mg/l IBA, shows root development within a week. Axillary bud proliferation is also observed in the explants inoculated in MS medium supplemented with combinations of kinetin and IAA.