In vitro propagation of Tacca leontopetaloides (L.) Kuntze in Nigeria

This study was carried out to assess the propagation of Tacca leontopetaloides (Taccaceae) in vitro using seed embryos. The seeds were cultured on Murashige & Skoog basal media augmented with various concentrations of single or combined growth hormones to obtain a suitable protocol for plantlet regeneration. Seed embryo germination of 57% was obtained, as against 20% for germination under conventional sowing. The best shoot proliferation was obtained using media fortified with 0.1 mg/L 6-benzyl amino purine and 0.01 mg/L naphthalene acetic acid, while the best rooting was obtained with MS media supplemented with 0.1 mg/L indole butyric acid. Callus formation was not observed on plantlets in vitro, indicating much easier and less challenging in vitro plant propagation.