ISSN: 0972-1045

Recalcitrant effect associated with the development of microshoots on callus culture of Adansonia digitata L.

Journal of Applied Horticulture, 2025, 27(2): 166-173.

Recalcitrant effect associated with the development of microshoots on callus culture of Adansonia digitata L.

Mujeeb Ur Rehman¹, Manisha Chaudhary¹, Arvind Arya² and Sandeep Kumar¹*

¹Department of Biotechnology, Shobhit Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed-to-be-University), NH- 58, Modipuram, Meerut, Delhi-NCR, Meerut-250110, (UP), India. ²Department of Biotechnology, Noida Institute of Engineering Technology, 19, Knowledge Park- II, Institutional Area, Greater Noida (UP), India. Corresponding e-mail: dr.sandeepkumar@shobhituniversity.ac.in

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2025.v27i02.31

Key words: Adansonia digitata; shoot culture; callus culture; recalcitrance; endangered species.

Abstract: Adansonia digitata L. (Kalpvriksha, Baobab) of the family Malvaceae is an endangered flora in India. The micropropagation of woody plants, adventitious root and shoot development remain some of the major problems due to their recalcitrance to in vitro handling. In the present study, an efficient protocol for in vitro shoot regeneration and propagation of recalcitrant baobab trees was developed. Shoot induction on nodal explants was evaluated using various concentrations of 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), Kinetin (Kn) and Thidiazuron (TDZ) with NAA. The highest number of adventitious shoots per explants (3.2±2.33) and longest shoots (3.3±2.20) were recorded on 0.5mg/L BAP and 0.2mg/L NAA treatments. Three auxins, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) were used in the induction of roots. The highest rooting was achieved with IBA-treated shoots at 1.0 mg/L concentration. Although A. digitata has previously revealed complexity in in vitro proliferation, the results proved efficient and reproducible. The 74% survival rates of plantlets was observed after three months.