Optimization of Culture Conditions for Production and Germination of Artificial Seed in an Important Medicinal Plant Gentiana Kurroo Royle

Abstract

Gentiana kurro Royle is a critically endangered medicinal herb. Its roots , rhizome are highly enriched with secondary metabolites (gentianin,gentiopicrin) which makes it highly important in the pharmaceutical sector. In the present study various parts of the plant i.e leaf, nodes, roots have been used as an explants, where we have optimized culture conditions for somatic embryogenesis. Different stages of Somatic embryo formation have been identified, out of which torpedo stage has been selected for the somatic seed formation. We have also used shoot apex as a raw material for the somatic embryogenesis.. Growing Gentiana kurroo through in vitro techniques reduces the time taken to produce seeds, reduces the number of field generations, and results in genetically stable plantlets, germplasm conservation and continuous supply of the medicinally important herb. Plant tissue culture involving Somatic embryogenesis is the only alternative that could produce. Since it is not easy to generate plantlets through the seeds available due to seed viability and very slow germination rates, tissue culture techniques could be used to produced artificial seeds which can be directly sown in the soil and could be produced in bulk. They have similar morphological and biochemical characteristics to field produced plants. Artificial seeds also help to overcome the seasonal limitations which hinder the availability. They also enable conservation for years using cryopreservation, limiting the somaclonal variations and enabling germplasm conservation.