In vitro propagation of Elaeocarpus venustus Bedd. (Elaeocarpaceae): A critically endangered tree of Southern Western Ghats, India

Abstract

Elaeocarpus venustus Bedd. is a steno-endemic and Critically Endangered tree species discovered in Kalakkadu Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) southern Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India. An in vitro propagation method using nodal explant is developed on Woody Plant Medium (WPM) with 0.1–2.0 mg/l each of 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP), 6-furfuryl amino purine (FAP)/Kinetin (KIN), Thidiazuron (TDZ), Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and Indole butyric acid (IBA) individually and/or in combinations. The highest percentage of explants (85.60±3.50%) responded and exhibited bud breaking on a culture medium with 1.5 mg/l of BAP+ 1.0 mg/l of KIN after 45 days of incubation under 25±2 °C with 16hr of photoperiod of 1000 lux light intensity culture conditions. Each cultured explant produced 9.10±1.58 shootlets. On WPM containing 0.5 mg/l IBA, the in vitro produced shoots rooted (each shoot produced 5.20±0.83 roots) within 26 days of incubation. The rooted treelets were acclimatized and hardened using plastic cups with sterile vermiculite under laboratory conditions and about 72% of hardened plantlets survived in the field. It is suggested that the tissue culture process defined and developed can be used for the propagation and conservation of E. venustus.