ABSTRACT:

Amorphophallus smithsonianus Sivadasan, an aroid endemic to Agasthiyamalai in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India, was selected for the present study. Investigations were undertaken for mass multiplication using tissue culture techniques. Among the different explants tested for in vitro culture, the laminar segments proved to be the best. MS medium supplemented with 2,4-D (2 mg/l) and L-glutamine (800 mgll) was found to be the best combination for induction of the callus forming the laminar tissue. Greening of the callus was best achieved in MS medium supplemented With SAP (2 mg/l}and adenine sulfate (30 mgll). Shoot-bud regeneration was achieved in MS medium supplemented with BAP (1 mgll) KIN (O.5 mgll) and adenine sulfate (30 mg/ 1). GA3 was found to be essential for the elongation of the shoot buds. MS + BAP (2mg/I) + KIN (0.5 mg/l) and AC (1g/1) proved to be the best combination for inducing maximum number of shoots from the green callus.