Influence of encapsulating agent and matr ix levels on synseed production of Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell Gantait Saikat1,,*, Kundu Suprabuddha2, Md. Ali Nasim2 1Sasya Shyamala Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Arapanch, Sonarpur, Kolkata-700150, India 2Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Faculty Centre for Integrated Rural Development and Management, School of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama, Narendrapur, Kolkata-700103, India *Corresponding author: Saikat Gantait, e-mail: saikatgantait@yahoo.com
Online published on 17 September, 2015. Abstract The present study reports on the influence of sodium alginate and calcium chloride (CaCl2.2H2O) levels on prof icient synthetic seed (synseed) formation of Bacopa monnier i (L.) Pennell. In vitro nodal segments (∼4 mm) were employed for encapsulation wherein aliquots of 1.5–4% (w/v) (i.e. 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4%) sodium alginate containing individual nodal segments were dropped in either 75 mM or 100 mM calcium chloride. Uniform spherical beads were obtained using 2.5% sodium alginate and 75 mM calcium chloride. Earliest conversion (into plantlet wi th shoot and root) of synseeds derived from optimized sodium alginate and calcium chloride level, was achieved on hal f-strength Murashige and Skoog semisolid regrowth medium. The synseeds displayed distinctive characters in thei r response to variable levels of sodium alginate and calcium chloride. The comparatively lower (1.5 and 2%) or higher (3, 3.5 and 4%) sodium alginate levels accompanied with more concentrated (100 mM) calcium chloride resul ted ei ther in squashy, fragile or harder and tail -forming beads, respectively. Top Keywords Conservation, conversion, encapsulation, germplasm exchange, sodium alginate. Top |