Journal of Biotechnology & Biomaterials
Open Access

Abstract

Withania somnifera, belonging to the family Solanaceae, is an important medicinal herb of India with restricted geographic distribution. It is a rich source of Withaferin-A and other bioactive withanolides. In the present study a rapid in vitro mass propagation protocol of W. somnifera was developed from shoot tip, nodal and leaf explants. The explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with various concentrations and combinations of plant growth regulators. In vitro raised shoots were further rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 1mgl-1 of IBA. The root samples of normal (T1), in vitro regenerated (uninoculated, T2) and G. mosseae (T3), G. fasciculatum (T4) and G. macrocarpum (T5 ) micropropagated treated plants were used to study the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal association to enhance the production of Withaferin-A compared to control plants. The HPLC analysis revealed significant differences in the yield of Withaferin-A in Glomus treated plants (81.60, 76.64, 75.06, 73.42 and 69.55 mg/gm) over control plants (63.25 and 57.70 mg/gm). The high percentage of root colonization in AMF inoculated in vitro plants must have resulted in better growth of plants and production of Withaferin A. The results of this study suggested that AMF have the potential to influence yield and nutrient content of in vitro regenerated Withania somnifera in a greenhouse conditions.

Biography

Raveesha H R is working as Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Bangalore University, Bangalore since 2003. He has obtained PhD degree from Bangalore University under the guidance of Prof. D H Tejavathi in 2003. He has published more than 16 papers in National and International Journals and participated and presented papers in 29 National and International Conferences. He is actively involved in the major research project sanctioned by DST, MoEF and minor project from BUIRF. He organized the National Conference on Plant Biology, September 2013 in the department and also serving as different academic member in various Universities.