An efficient in vitro regeneration system for Lythrum salicaria

This report describes an efficient plant regeneration system for the medicinal plant Lythrum salicaria via direct adventitious shoot development from leaf and stem explants. Leaf explants were much more responsive to regeneration than stem segments. Of the hormonal combinations tested, those involving thidiazuron (TDZ; 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5 mg dm(-3)) were more effective than the combinations of other hormones and 0.1 mg dm-3 TDZ combined with either indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was the most productive. Rooting was readily achieved when multiple shoots were singled out and cultured on medium containing different auxins. IAA was the most effective on root development in terms of both the number of roots per shoot and the frequency of rooted shoots. More than 90 % of the regenerants survived after hardening for four weeks at gradually decreased air humidity.