Somatic embryogenesis from leaf and shoot tip explants of Jatropha curcas L.

• Main Authors: Medipally, Srikanth Reddy, Naresh, Baja, Kumar, S. Manoj, Md. Yusoff, Fatimah, Prathibha Devi
• Format: Article
• Published: Indian Society for Education and Environment 2014
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/35417/; http://www.indjst.org/index.php/indjst/article/view/47813
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Jatropha curcas is a non-edible oil plant species and belongs to Euphorbiaceae family. It is gaining the importance as potential renewable feed-stock for biodiesel production. Here in the present study we developed an efficient micropropagation protocol through somatic embryogenesis from leaf and shoot tip explants of Jatropha curcas. Murashigae-Skoog medium supplemented with 2, 4-D (0.5mg/l) and benzylaminopurine (5mg/l) resulted in the production of green embryogenic callus with clearly differentiated somatic embryos with a frequency of plant conversion rate from shoot tip and leaf explants was 51 ± 0.9 and 54 ± 0.6 respectively. The regenerated shoots were rooted on root induction medium, transplanted to pots and later transferred to field. The survival percentage of the transplanted plants was 33±0.1 for shoot tip and 24±0.7 for leaf explant. Therefore, this protocol could be useful for micropropagation of Jatropha curcas as effective feed-stock towards biodiesel production.