<p>Somaclonal Variability for the Improvement of Plants<br />Artemisia (Artemisia annua L.) by In Vitro Culture.<br />Endang G. Lestari, Rosa Yunita, and Ali Husni. Artemisia<br />annua L., a family member of Asteraceae, is medicinal<br />plants originated from China. The plant has been widely<br />used by the local people for malaria remedy. Its active substance,<br />artemisine, has been proved to hamper the malaria<br />bacteria incubation, Plasmodium sp. In accordance with the<br />WHO recomendation, the Department of Health of Indonesia<br />is now in the attempt of developing this plant as the<br />subtitute of chloroquin because of the malaria bacteria<br />resistance to this antidote. In Indonesia, the artemisine<br />content of the plant less than 0,5% is the crucial problem<br />leading no investors are interested in its economic value.<br />Therefore, Indonesian Medicinal and Spice Crops Research<br />Institute; BPTO Tawangmangu, Indonesian Institute of<br />Sciences; and PT Kimia Farma cooperate for obtaining the<br />prime clone by breeding, selection, as well as environmental<br />adaptation. In coping with the problem, ICABIOGRAD in the<br />collaboration with Bogor Agricultural University have<br />conducted the research for genetic improvement through<br />mutative induction and field selection. This research on<br />somaclonal variation. was conducted from Januari 2006 to<br />Juni 2008. Eksplan used for experiment were shoots radiated<br />with 10-100 Gy gamma ray. The result showed that the shoot<br />radiated with the dosage of 70-100 Gy was unable to grow.<br />On the other hand, the high level of multiplication was<br />acquired in the one radiated with 10-30 Gy. The optimum<br />radiation for somaclonal radiation was eventually gained<br />with 40-60 Gy. The somaclone lines with 10-60 Gy radiation<br />have been aclimatized and planted in Gunung Putri plot in<br />the elevation of 1545 asl. Artemisinin content at the high<br />biomases genotype is 0,49-0,52%.</p>
Read full abstract