In vitro regeneration and Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation of Artemisia aucheri Boiss.

In the present study, we developed an efficient protocol for in vitro plant regeneration and genetically transformed root induction in medicinal plant Artemisia aucheri Boiss. Leaf explants were cultivated in MS medium supplemented by combination of plant growth regulators including α-naphthalene-acetic acid, 6-benzyl-aminopurine, indole-3-acetic acid and 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyaceticacid. The highest frequency of shoot organogenesis occurred on MS medium supplemented with 0.05 mg/l NAA plus 2 mg/l BA (96.3 %) and MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IAA plus 2 mg/l BA (88.3 %). Root induction was obtained on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l IBA. This is a simple, reliable, rapid and high efficient regeneration system for A. aucheri Boiss in short period via adventitious shoot induction approach. Also, an efficient genetically transformed root induction for A. aucheri was developed through Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation by four bacterial strains, A4, ATCC15834, MSU440, and A13 (MAFF-02-10266). The maximum frequency of hairy root induction was obtained using MSU440 (93 %) and ATCC15834 (89 %) bacterial strains. Hairy root lines were confirmed by PCR using the rolB gene specific primers and Southern blot analysis.