Growth of excised meristem-tips of kumara, Ipomoea batatas (Linn.) Poir in axenic culture

Abstract

Same factors affecting the growth of excised kumara, Ipomoea batatas (Linn.) Poir, meristem-tips into plantlets, were studied. Root initiation and subsequent development into plantlets were influenced by the length of the shoot apex excised, the clone of kumara used and (the addition of plant growth regulators to the culture medium. Shoot apices longer than 1.6 mm rooted better than shorter apices. 1-naphthylacetic acid (1 mg/l) added to a high salt nutrient medium during early stages of culture, stimulated root initiation in two out of three clones of kumara tested and accelerated development in all three clones. Gibberellic acid (10 mg/l) stimulated root initiation in all three clones, but development was slower than with 1-naphthylacetic acid.