Micropropagation of zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe) – a valuable medicinal plant

Abstract

Tissue culture propagation system was developed for zedoary (Curcuma zedoaria Roscoe), a valuable medicinal plant, using rhizome sprout cultures. Shoots were induced from rhizomes on basal MS medium containing 20 g l⁻¹ sucrose and 5 g l⁻¹ agar, supplemented with 20 (v/v) coconut water (CW) and benzylaminopurine (BA) concentrations from 0.5 to 5.0 m g l⁻¹. The excised shoots were subcultured on Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium with 20 (v/v) CW and different concentrations of BA and kinetin (Kin), either alone or in combination with indolebutyric acid (IBA) or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). MS medium with 20 (v/v) CW, 3 mg l⁻¹ BA, and 0.5 mg l⁻¹ IBA resulted in a multiplication rate per shoot; 5.6 shoots per explant were obtained on average after 30 days of culture. Well-developed shoots (30–40 mm in length) were rooted on MS medium containing 20 g l⁻¹ sucrose and 8 g l⁻¹ agar, supplemented with 20 (v/v) CW and 2 mg l⁻¹ NAA. More than 95 of the rooted plants were established in pots after hardening.