EFFICIENT In vitro PROPAGATION SYSTEM VIA MULTIPLE SHOOT INDUCTION AND ASSESSMENT OF CLONAL FIDELITY OF REGENERANTS IN Citrullus colocynthis (L.) SCHARD

Efficient plant regeneration was established in Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schard by using leaf explants. By showing effects of various plant growth regulators alone and combinations (BAP, TDZ, IAA, NAA and IBA) at different concentration. Maximum numbers of shoots were obtained on Murashige and Skoog media supplemented with 2.27 μM/L TDZ and 2.85 μM/L IAA at an average of 18.28±0.29 shoots per explants. Whereas leaf explants placed on MS media supplemented with only TDZ in different concentrations (2.27, 4.55, 6.83, 9.10, 11.37 and 13.65 μM/L) was able to produce friable callus only in the time of 4 to 5 weeks. Low level concentration of GA3 (1.87 μM/L) promoted efficient shoot elongation at an average shoot length of 9.9±0.17 cm. Elongated shoots were sub cultured on MS media containing IBA, IAA and NAA individually. 17.13 μM/L of IBA found to be optimum concentration of effective rhizogenesis, at average root length was 7.45±0.87 detected per shoot within the 2weeks after shifting on to media. The plantlets raised In vitro were acclimatized in green house and successfully transferred to natural condition with 80% survival. Inter Simple Sequence Repeat analysis revealed the genetic stability of In vitro raised plant with mother plant. The present investigation showed that regeneration of Citrullus colocynthis offers a good opportunity to raise micropropagation and inducing roots from leaf explants.