In vitro propagation, ex vitro rooting and leaf micromorphology of Bauhinia racemosa Lam.: a leguminous tree with medicinal values.

A micropropagation system for Bauhinia racemosa Lam. was developed involving axillary shoot proliferation and ex vitro rooting using nodal explants obtained from mature tree. MS medium with 3.0 mg l-1 BA (6-benzyladenine) was optimum for shoot bud induction. For shoot multiplication, mother explants were transferred repeatedly on medium containing low concentration of BA (0.75 mg l-1). Number of shoots was increased up to two passages and decreased thereafter. Shoot multiplication was further enhanced on MS medium containing 0.25 mg l-1 each of BA and Kin (Kinetin) with 0.1 mg l-1 of NAA (α-naphthalene acetic acid). Addition of 0.004 mg l-1 TDZ (thidiazuron) increased the rate of shoot multiplication and 21.81 ± 1.26 shoots per culture vessel were obtained. In vitro regenerated shoots were rooted under ex vitro conditions treated with 400 mg l-1 IBA (indole-3-butyric acid) for 7 min on sterile soilrite. After successful hardening in greenhouse, ex vitro rooted plants were transferred to the field conditions with ≈85% of survival rate. Micromorphological changes were observed on leaf surface i.e. development of vein density and trichomes and stomatal appearance, when plants were subjected to environmental conditions. This is the first report on in vitro regeneration of B. racemosa from mature tree.