In vitro Tuberization of Glory Lily (Gloriosa superba. L): Experimental Investigation

Abstract

Gloriosa superba L. (Colchicaceae) commonly known as Kalahari and Glory lily was an export oriented medicinal plant. Colchicine was the major tropalone alkaloids of medicinal importance which cures gout, cancer, rheumatism. Commercially propagated by tubers which are ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped, but was considered slow with poor multiplication ratio of 1:1 every year. The present study has described a feasible procedure for in vitro tuberization employing non-dormant tubers of Gloriosa superba L. supplemented with varying quantities of auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellins on Murashige and Skoog medium. When sterilized with 70% ethanol for 30 seconds and then 60 seconds in HgCl₂, sprouted tuber node explants had a contamination percentage of only 8.00%. The maximum response for primary tuber (100%) and secondary tuber (100%) development was observed in MS medium supplemented with 4.0 mgl-1 BAP and 1.0 mgl^-1 NAA. This also yielded the most tubers (1.77) from a single explant. GA3 (1.0 mgl^-1) was found to be essential for shoot elongation, whereas IAA (1.0 mgl^-1) in combination with IBA (0.5 mgl^-1) was effective for root induction on MS medium.