Tissue Culture Study for in Vitro Induction of Callus From Leaf Explant of Butea Monosperma (Lam) Taub, Kuntze.

Butea monosperma (Lam), Taub, Kuntze also called as “Flame of the forest” belongs to the family Fabaceae. It is an important medicinal tree and different parts such as root, barks, leaves, flowers and fruits are used for the treatment of different disease. Because of over exploitation of this tree the plant is facing problem and is now considered as endangered. For this conservation and protection tissue culture techniques are the best alternative. In the present study, attempts have been made to induce callus from the leaf and internodal explant and obtained biomass of culture, so that it may be used for the extraction of different secondary metabolites, which are being extracted from different parts of the plant. In the present study, woody plant medium was supplemented with 3% sucrose, different concentrations and combinations of auxins and cytokinins and gelled with 0.8% agar. The leaf and internodal explants were inoculated in it. It was found that callusing in both the explants were found in all the five concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 mg/l) of BAP alone as well as along with 1.5 mg/l IBA, NAA, IAA and 2,4-D. WPM + 2.5 mg/l BAP alone induced callusing in 62% leaf explants and 73.0% in internodal explants. However, when the explants were inoculated in WPM + 2.5 mg/l BAP + 1.5 mg/l IBA, the percentage of callusing in leaf explant was 74.0 and internodal explants it was 86.0%. Similarly, WPM + 5 different concentrations of NAA induced callusing in both the explants but WPM + 2.5 mg/l BAP + 1.5 mg/l NAA induced callusing in leaf explants that was 70% while in nodal explants it was 78%. WPM + 2.5 mg/l BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA induced callusing in leaf explants that was 64.0% and in internodal explants it was 72.0% respectively. Similarly, WPM + 2.5 mg/l BAP + 1.5 mg/l 2,4-D induced callusing in 57.0% in leaf explants and 61.0% in internodal explants respectively. Therefore, WPM + 2.5 mg/l BAP + 1.5 mg/l IBA were the best combination for induction of callus, while internodal segment was the best explants for callus induction. Growth rate of callus was also the best in the medium where higher percentage of response for callusing was found. The colour and texture of calli varied from loose white to compact white, compact white to compact brown and compact white green respectively.