Micropropagation of Elaeocarpus robustus Roxb.

Multiple shoots were obtained from shoot tips and nodal explants of 20-year-old trees of Elaeocarpus robustus on Murashige and Skoog's medium supplemented with 0.5 mg l–1 each of BA and Kn. Explants taken from in vitro-proliferated shoots subsequently produced multiple shoots when cultured on the same basal medium containing 0.5 mg l–1 each of BA and Kn. Repeated subculture resulted in rapid shoot multiplication at an average rate of 10 new shoots per subculture. The addition of CM (10%) and CH (100 mg l–1) to the medium enhanced the number of shoots up to 20 per subculture and increased the length of shoots. In vitro-raised shoots were rooted on half-strength MS medium containing 1.0 mg l–1 IBA and 0.5 mg l–1 IAA. Following transplantation in the field 85% of the plantlets survived and grew uniformly.