EFFICIENT in vitro PROPAGATION PROTOCOL OF A MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT PLANT, Dioscorea villosa L. VIA ORGANOGENESIS FROM NODAL SEGMENTS

The genus Dioscorea is an economically important species due to its rhizomatous tubers which are the source of alkaloid saponin used in preparation of steroids in the pharmaceutical. Dioscorea villosa L. is economically important as the rhizome extract of the species is used to cure symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The species is also used in curing menopause, colic, as skin cream, diosgenin as a source of natural hormones, antifungal, use in urinary tract problems in Chinese traditional medicine, treatment of asthma and cardiovascular disorder. The seed has low viability and faces regeneration problem. A successful attempt was made to produce clonal planting material in vitro from nodal segments. The nodal segments from both in vitro as well as in vivo sources were cultured on MS medium fortified differently. In vivo source nodal segments invoked morphogenic response (90.6%) on MS medium conjunct with BA (3 µM), sucrose (3%), activated charcoal (300 mg L-1); while, nodal segments from in vitro source responded (95.5%) positively and resulted ~3 shoot bud per node on MS medium supplemented with 9 µM KN and 1 µM NAA in combination. The shoot buds converted to rooted plantlets in subsequent subcultures. Acclimatized regenerates transferred in potting mix. About ~90% transplants are registered as survival after two months of transfer.