In vitro Preservation by Encapsulation of Shoot Tips of Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. ex Schult. as a Rare Medicinal Plant

Select Volume / Issue:

• Volume 8,Issue 3,May 2021

Year:

2021

Type of Publication:

Article

Keywords:

Conservation, Germplasm Exchange, Short-term Storage, Synthetic Seeds

Authors:

Hassanen, Sabah A.

Journal:

IJRAS

Volume:

8

Number:

3

Pages:

176-184

Month:

May

ISSN:

2348-3997

Abstract:

Aerva lanata (Linn) belongs to the family Amaranthaceae is a rare perennial shrub or erect herb growing in the Gabal Elba protected southeast corner of the Eastern Desert of Egypt. In order to increase the demand for medicinal wild plants in the drug industry, care must be taken to the necessity of preserving those plants, especially rare ones. An efficient method of in vitro propagation, synthetic seed production protocol was established for the conservation of A. lanata. Shoot tips excised from in vitro the proliferated shoots were encapsulated in calcium alginate beads. A gelling matrix of 3% sodium alginate and 100mM calcium chloride was found the most suitable for formation of ideal calcium alginate beads. Shoot tips have been preserved in calcium alginate beads containing calcium alginate for five months. Three matrices; water, medium of Murashige and Skoog and medium of Murashige and Skoog containing 3% sucrose and measured for storage at 24 ± 2 and 4C°. The regeneration efficiency of A. lanata shoot tips encapsulated was investigated. On the Murashige and Skoog medium, 100% viability and high regrowth percentage and productivity of recovered shoot tips were observed at 4°C in all examined alginate matrices. Murashige and Skoog medium with sucrose, however, were considered superior. Rooting was carried out under the same medium and 73.3% of regenerated plantlets under greenhouse conditions were effectively hardened. The regeneration ability and regrowth of encapsulated shoot tips during storage are decreased on a monthly basis. The derived protocol can be used successfully to retain encapsulated A. lanata shoot tips for five months at 4°C without any growth regulator treatments. The encapsulation technique could also be used as an alternative method of propagation and support the conservation of the desired elite genotype of A. lanata by cost-effect germplasm.

Full text: IJRAS_984_FINAL.pdf [Bibtex]