In vitro MORPHOGENESIS OF FOLIAR EXPLANTS AND PLANT REGENERATION OF Actinidia deliciosa A. Chev. – A HORTICULTURAL IMPORTANT PLANT

Actinidia deliciosa or Kiwi is an important horticultural plant. Common practice of propagation of the species is through stem cutting, but poor rooting of stem cuttings limits the production of clonal planting materials. Present study aimed at development of an in vitro propagation protocol using in vitro source leaves. About 5-8 week old leaves (intact, segments and scrubbed leaves) were cultured on MS medium fortified with BA (9 µM) and sucrose (3%), where within 5-6 days of culture morphogenic response initiated and after 4 week of culture 50.5% intact leaves responded with 5 shoot buds formation; while, 41.7 and 41.6% leaf segments and scrubbed leaf segments respectively responded and registered each 7 shoot buds formation. Shoot buds proliferated and developed multiple micro shoots on MS medium with sucrose (3%) and BA (3 µM) where as many as 6.2 micro shoots developed in 58.3% culture per cycle. Well-developed foliated and defoliated micro shoots (4-5 cm long) were rooted on nutrient medium containing IBA (9 µM) where 50 and 56.25% rooting response registered respectively accompanied by 5 and 7 numbers of roots per shoot. The rooted plantlets were hardened on 1/4th strength liquid medium containing sucrose (1%) for 7-8 week followed by transferred to potting mix where ~82% transplants survived and 70% transplants established in the field.