An Effective Micropropagation Strategy for Pseudarthria viscida (L.) Wight & Arn.

Habitat destruction and over-harvesting have resulted in the gradual disappearance of many medicinally important plants from their natural habitat. At present, their number is highly reduced in the wild. To conserve the genetic stocks of such plants, in vitro propagation can be utilized successfully. One such medicinally important plant that needs to be conserved is Pseudarthria viscida (L.) Wight & Arn. It is a perennial viscid pubescent semi-erect, diffuse undershrub belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is an essential component of many famous Ayurvedic formulations like Dashamoola, Mahanarayana taila, and Dhantara taila. The root is the most important part of the plant with high medicinal value. Major chemical compounds reported to be present in the roots are 1,5 dicaffeoyl quinic acid, oleic acid, tetradecanoic acid, rutin, quercetin, gallic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid. The present study focused on in vitro regeneration and mass propagation of P. viscida. Fresh young leaves, nodes, and internodal segments were used as explants. Murashige and Skoog medium (MS medium), Gamborg’s (B5 ) medium, and White’s mediums were selected for in vitro regeneration and mass propagation. Among the various media used, the MS medium gave a successful result in in vitro culture by showing a response within four weeks, and the percentage of response was also high compared to B5 and White’s medium. The leafy explant was found to be more suitable for profuse callus induction, somatic embryogenesis, and indirect organogenesis than that of internodal and nodal explants, whereas nodal explant was best for direct organogenesis in P. viscida. Of the different combinations tried, NAA (Naphthalene acetic acid) + BAP (6-Benzyl aminopurine) combinations were best for callus induction, somatic embryogenesis and indirect organogenesis. 2.5 mg/L BAP was best for shoot induction from nodal explants, whereas 2.5 mg/L NAA was best for root induction from in vitro regenerated micro shoots as explants. Well-developed plantlets were transferred to greenhouse and later to natural conditions. This study thus reports an efficient protocol for plant regeneration, and this could be vital for the multiplication and field transfer of this ethnomedicinal plant. Based on the ethnomedicinal potential, there is an urgent need for organized cultivation of this vulnerable plant for its conservation and sustainable utilization.

Keywords: Conservation, Dashamoola, Dhantara taila, Ethnomedicinal, Hormonal Combinations, In vitro Regeneration, Mass Propagation, Mahanarayana Taila, Pseudarthria viscida, Sustainable Utilization.