Micropropagation of Indian wild strawberry

An efficient method of micropropagation based on an increased percentage survival of explants and reduced phenol-induced browning in wild strawberry has been developed. Serial transfer of nodal explants was carried out at 24-, 48- and 96-h intervals. Nodal segments cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (4.0 mu M) and proportional to-naphthalene acetic acid (0.1 mu M) gave the best (94.4%) explant establishment and shoot number (22.3) per explant. Of the cytokinins tested, 6-benzyladenine was found more effective than kinetin and N-6-(gamma,gamma dimethylallyamino) purine. Excised shoots rooted on half-strength agar-gelled medium with 1.0 mu M alpha-naphthalene acetic acid. Rooted shoots with fully expanded leaves acclimatized successfully and about 70% of plantlets survived ex vitro.