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India has ranked first in the term of flora in rich biodiversity which contain medicinal economical and high value plants. Prosopis cineraria considered as an auspicious plant belongs to family Fabaceae under the endangered category. So the conservation of this plant is very important. Through in-vitro technique effort has been made to conserve and protect is important plant species. Callus culture was initiated from explants on the Murashige and Skoog medium having 30 g/l sucrose, 0.8% agar supplemented with various concentrations of BAP + NAA (2+1, 4+1, 5+1 mg/l). The maximum induction (62.50%) was observed in 2 mg/l BAP + 1 mg/l NAA under and above the surface of medium. At the beginning explants produced whitish yellow calli after 4 weeks of inoculation. In 3 mg/l BAP and in 2 mg/l BAP + 1 mg/l NAA maximum callus were developed. BAP (2 mg/l) and NAA (1 mg/l) showed the good performance and calli were formed in highest number after 12 weeks of subculture.
Key words: In-vitro propagation, Shami, Prosopis cineraria, Endangered plant, Callus culture.
INTRODUCTION
Prosopis cineraria is present in Western Asia and Indian subcontinent, including Afghanistan, Iran, India, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Yaman. In India it is mainly present in north region. It is a state tree of Rajasthan and Telangana (Khandelwal et al., 2015). This plant is commonly known as Ghaf (Arabic), Khejri or Loong Tree (Rajasthan), Jund (Panjabi), Kahoor (Balochi), Kandi (Sindh), Banni (Kannada), Vanni (Tamil), Jammi (Telugu), Chaunkra, Jant/Janti, Khar, Khejri/Khejra, Sami/Shami (Marathi and Hindi) and Sumri (Gujarat).
P. cineraria is 3-5m small tree or shrub. Leaves are bipinnate, and branches are thorned along the internodes. Flowers are dainty and soft with amazing contrasting colors. The tree is found especially in arid conditions. This tree is having tolerance of highly alkaline and saline environment. It is also known as 'wonder tree' and also considered as auspicious plant. It has mythological reference and is vital from astrological and vastu point of view. Another name of shami is "jara hat ke" plant. There are folklores in Mahabharata and Ramayana about this tree. In some part of south India, the leaves of shami are soaked in water until the day before Diwali when people bath with this water. People have taken...