An improvised shoot amplification and ex vitro rooting method for offsite propagation of Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers: a multi-valued medicinal climber

Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers, is an important medicinal climber of family Menispermaceae. This plant is principally known for its medicinal properties in Ayurvedic system of medicines. Poor seed setting coupled with low seed germination limit its natural propagation through seeds. This paper reports an improvised micropropagation system of T. cordifolia using nodal explants. The maximum numbers of axillary shoots (3.8 ± 0.63) were differentiated on MS medium containing 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP; 2.0 mg l). The numbers of shoots were further amplified using repetitive transfer of original explants and through subculturing techniques. The greatest numbers of shoots (15.3 ± 1.05) of an average length (5.5 ± 0.84 cm) were achieved on 0.8% agar-gelled Modified MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg l each of BAP and kinetin, and IAA (0.1 mg l) in screw-cap culture bottles, within 5–6 weeks. In rooting experiments, we developed a concurrent ex vitro rooting and acclimatization (CEVRA) method for the first time in T. cordifolia. About 87.6% of the micropropagated shoots rooted ex vitro on pulse-treatment with indole-3-butyric acid (200 mg l) for 3 min. More than 80% of the concurrently ex vitro rooted and acclimatized plantlets were successfully hardened in a greenhouse and transplanted to the soil. The discussed micropropagation system can be used for the large-scale offsite propagation of this medicinally important perennial climber, T. cordifolia.