Micropropagation of Oldenlandia umbellata L. highly dye-yielding medicinal plant

This paper proposes an efficient in vitro propagation method for a red dye yielding and medicinal herb - Oldenlandia umbellata L. The plant is well-known in Siddha medicine for its styptic property. It is also used as drug for bronchial asthma, as a febrifuge and to treat poisonous bites and ulcers. Moreover, the red dye from its roots has been used in diverse applications since ancient times. These varied applications have increased the utilization and exploitation of this plant for medicinal and dye extraction purposes. Hence, a protocol for rapid propagation is standardized in the present study. Herein, the nodal and internodal of Oldenlandia umbellata L. were cultured on MS medium supplemented with cytokinins, 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP), GA3, Kinetin (KIN), and auxins 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid NAA, 2, 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2, 4-D). Direct organogenesis was the intent. In doing so, the nodal and internodal explants showed maximum number of shoots in the combination of 2.5 mg/l BAP, 2.0 mg/l GA3, 0.5 mg/l. In addition, the explants growing on medium supplemented with 10 mg/l BAP was found to have generated more shoots. The developed shoots were then transferred for rooting to half strength MS medium fortified with IAA, IBA and NAA ranging from 2-5 mg/l. The best results were achieved on 2.0 mg/l 89.6 % (IBA) Indole-3- butyric acid. For hardening, the rooted plantlets were subsequently transferred to paper cups containing FYM, red soil and sand in the ratio of 1:2:1. They were then transferred to the growth chamber for acclimatization. After acclimatization, the plantlets were transfer for further development under field conditions. About 95% survival was achieved in the field.