In Vitro Multiplication and Metabolite Variations through GC-MS of a Medicinal Plant Scaevola Taccada (Gaertn.) Roxb.

The present study investigated the difference in the phytoconstituents in the methanolic extract of mother and tissue cultured plants of Scaevola taccada (Gaertn). Roxb., an important medicinal plant of the Goodiniaceae family. An efficient protocol was established to rapidly multiply S. taccada using nodal explants. The explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of BAP (0.5 mg/l, 2.5 mg/l, 5.0 mg/l, 10.0 mg/l), IAA (1.0 mg/l), Kinetin (1.0 mg/l), ascorbic acid (100 mg/l) and citric acid (25 mg/l). The maximum number of multiple shoots were obtained in MS medium supplemented with BAP (5.0 mg/l) in combination with Kinetin (1.0 mg/l) and additives ascorbic acid (100 mg/l) and citric acid (25 mg/l). Subculturing multiple shoots at periodic intervals of every 4 weeks produced the maximum number of shoots. The in vitro generated shoots were rooted in half-strength MS medium supplemented with IBA (0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0,2.5) mg/l NAA (0.5,1.0,2.0,2.5) mg/l. Among these, the highest root induction was obtained in IBA (1.5 mg/l) and NAA (0.1 mg/l). The rooted plantlets were transferred to pots containing a mixture of vermiculite and perlite for acclimatization for three weeks. The plants were hardened in a greenhouse and planted in open fields. Phytochemical analysis shows the methanolic extracts of the tissue cultured plants produced more bioactive compounds having various pharmaceutical importance than the mother plant.

Keywords: Acclimatization, BAP, Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Growth regulators, IBA, NAA.