In Vitro Regeneration of Plants from Cotyledons of Crotalaria longipes Wight & Arn.- An Endangered Legume

Crotalaria longipes, an endangered plant threatened with extinction was regenerated from callus of cotyledonary explants of in vitro germinated seeds. Sulfuric acid-scarified seeds produced 96% germination in Murashige and Skoog (MS) (1962) basal medium and 85% in soil as compared to 16% of non-scarified seeds in soil and 25% in vitro. Cotyledons responded for callus induction and produced highest percentage of organogenic calli in MS media with a-Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (2.5 mg/l). Shoots regenerated on MS with Benzylaminopurine (BA) and Kinetin (Kn) used singly and in combination. MS with 2 mg/l BA and 0.5 mg/l Kn produced the highest number of shoot initials (30 � 6.0). Shoot elongation required 2-3 subcultures on MS basal medium. Rooting was achieved on half-strength MS with 5 mg/l NAA after four weeks of culture.