Micropropagation through indirect organogenesis in Solanum capsicoides All., and assessment of clonal fidelity using ISSR markers

Abstract

Solanum capsicoides All., is an important medicinal plant which is used as a source of ‘Kantakari’ (medicine for phlegm disorders) in India. The restricted distribution of the plant in Kerala along with its overexploitation necessitates the development of a protocol for in vitro propagation of S. capsicoides. The present study reports the effects of four different cytokinins (2 isopentenyl adenine (2iP), benzyl adenine (BAP), kinetin (KIN), and zeatin (ZEA)) in combination with indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) on indirect organogenesis of S. capsicoides from in vitro grown seedling explants such as cotyledon, shoot tip, and hypocotyl. Maximum shoot development was observed from cotyledon explants inoculated on MS medium supplemented with 2.46 μM IBA and 4.56 μM ZEA. An average of 17 ± 0.5 shoots per cotyledon with an average length of 0.53 ± 0.03 cm was observed. After subculture, an average of 20 ± 1 shoots was observed in cotyledon explants inoculated on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2.46 μM IBA and 6.84 μM ZEA. Clonal fidelity of regenerated plants was confirmed using DNA based molecular marker, intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR). Clonal fidelity test revealed 0% polymorphism and the PIC value 0 which indicate no diversity from seed-borne plants. The protocol thus developed can be used for rapid multiplication and conservation of S. capsicoides.