• SNEHA SNIGDHA
• POONAM SINHA

Boerhaavia diffusa (L.) belongs to family Nyctaginaceae, commonly known as Punarnava, is an important medicinal herb. This medicinal herb is mostly found in disturbed areas. From its wild habitat, the herb is over exploited by the agents of traders, due to which the species has become vulnerable. In the present study, attempts have been made to propagate the species in vitro by culturing nodal and shoot apex explants in culture medium under aseptic conditions. Nodal explants were cultured in MS basal medium + six different (0.5-4.0 mg/l) concentrations of BAP and KN, separately + 3% sucrose and gelled with 0.8% agar. Here MS+1.5 mg/l BAP induced axillary bud production on 98.64% nodal explants and 93.24% in shoot apex explants. The maximum number of axillary buds on nodal explants was 11.75 while in shoot apex it was 6.91. The mean length of axillary shoot in nodal explant was 5.44 cm while in shoot bud it was 4.84 respectively. In the similar concentration of KN the percentage of response for axillary shoot bud formation was 88.74 in nodal explants and 84.35 in shoot apex explants. Similarly, the mean number of axillary buds on nodal explants was 3.83 and on shoot apex explants it was 2.48 only. The mean length of axillary shoots was 4.76 in nodal explants and 3.85 in shoot apex. Here, it was further observed that neither the lower concentration nor the higher concentrations of the cytokinins were more promising with respect to axillary shoot bud initiation either on nodal or shoot apex explants of Boerhaavia diffusa. Well grown plantlets wee used for rooting in half strength MS medium, supplemented with four different concentrations of auxins (IAA, NAA and IBA) alone and IBA+IAA and IBA+NAA at 1.0+0.5 and 1.0+1.0 mg/l concentrations. When ½ MS + 1.0 mg/l IAA alone was used the percentage response for rooting was 874.0, mean number of root is 4.76 and mean length was 2.46 cm respectively. But in case of ½ MS+ 2.0 mg/l NAA, the percentage response for rooting was 64.0, mean root number was 2.28 and mean length 2.40cm. Similarly, in ½ MS+1.0 mg/l IBA, the percentage response was 76.0, mean root number 5.22 and mean length was 3.24 cm respectively. Best percentage of response for initiation of roots in vitro was in ½ MS+1.0 mg/l IBA+1.0 mg/l IAA, which was 92%, the mean root number 6.36 and mean length 4.32 cm, while in the similar concentration of ½ MS+IBA+NAA it was only 53.0% the mean number was 4.52 and length 2.44cm. Here, ½ MS+ 1.0 mg/l IBA + 0.5 mg/l NAA gave better response. The time taken for shoot bud initiation was minimum where the percentage response for above was maximum.

Boerhaavia diffusa, Punarnava, Micropropagation, Nodal and Shoot Apex Explants, In Vitro Rooting, Axillary Buds, Vulnerable.

"TISSUE CULTURE STUDY FOR MICROPROPAGATION OF BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA (L), AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL HERB.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no.c770-c777, September-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509289.pdf

"TISSUE CULTURE STUDY FOR MICROPROPAGATION OF BOERHAAVIA DIFFUSA (L), AN IMPORTANT MEDICINAL HERB.", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 9, page no. ppc770-c777, September-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2509289.pdf