In Vitro Propagation of an Endangered Medicinal Plant, Bat Flower; Tacca Chantrieri Andre. for Conservation in Thailand

Abstract

In Thailand, bat flower (Tacca chantrieri Andre.) is found in the tropical rain forest and has been used in Thai folk medicine as well. Its values are not only for medicinal properties, but also the chemical compounds extracted from rhizomes which are able to fight against plant pest. At present, propagation of rhizome of Tacca chantrieri Andre. is at very low multiplication rate. Plant tissue culture is an alternative approach for large-scale plant multiplication. The sterile seeds were removed from sterilized freshy fruits (berry like) of Tacca chantrieri Andre. and cultured on the MS medium (Murashige & Skoog, 1962). The sterilized seeds germinated into seedlings. Shoot organogenesis occurred from Tacca chantrieri Andre. shoot explants inoculated on medium with appropriate supplements of plant growth regulators (N6-benzylaminopurine; BAP; 0, 1.0, 3.0, 5.0 or 7.0 mg/l). After 60 days, significantly multiple shoots were observed on shoot explants cultured on MS medium amended with 3.0 mg/l BAP compared to other BAP levels, with an average of 7.50 ± 0.08 shoots per explant, shoot length at 43.50 ± 0.11 mm and a frequency of shoot regeneration of 95%. In the second experiment, shoots from previous study were excised and cultured on different types of culture media (solid, semi-solid or liquid MS medium containing 3.0 mg/l BAP). The results showed that solid MS medium gave the highest percentage of shoot formation (95%), number of shoots (7.70 ± 0.02 shoots/explant) and shoot length (45.50 ± 0.05 mm) after culture for 60 days. Root induction occurred when regenerated shoots were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 3.0 mg/l IBA under photoperiod of 16/8 h (light/dark cycle) after culture for 45 days (95.50% of rooting, number of roots per explant at 20.86 ± 0.05 and root length at 42.30 ± 0.22 mm). Rooted plantlets were hardened and established in pots at 90% survival. The regeneration protocol developed in this study provides a basis for germplasm conservation and for the production of plant materials necessary to study the medicinally active components of Tacca chantrieri Andre.