Micropropagation of Solanum lycopersicum L. using chemical free formulated organic plant growth media

Abstract

Micropropagation is currently the most commercially effective plant biotechnology that helps in the rapid generation of a large number of clonal plants of many plant species in a short period. Effective protocol was developed for in vitro micropropagation of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) using chemical-free organic vermicompost (VC) extract medium. This experiment aims to expose the advancement in plant tissue culture technique by using synthetic Murashige and Skoog medium (MS) medium and a chemical-free organic VC (30%) extract along with 4% coelomic fluid (obtained from the earthworms Eudrilus eugeniae) as a growth medium for in vitro studies. The response of roots, leaves, shoots, and nodes in both synthetic (MS) medium and chemical-free organic VC extract medium was compared statistically using Student’s t-test. Statistically significant differences for the number of roots (P =0.011), leaves (P=0.012), and nodes (P=0.001) between the two media were reported. Both media showed the same shoot induction where no significant differences were reported with a P value of 1.000 for shoots. The protocol has led to a 100% plant survival rate on chemical-free organic vermicompost extract media. The results have also shown a significant difference in growth rate between two different media. Vermicompost and coelomic fluid used in media have antimicrobial activities which led to minimal contamination level and this consequently minimized timely subculturing. Through our studies, we found that chemical-free organic vermicompost extract media proved to be more economical and a better prospective than MS media for in vitro propagation of tomato.