Nature and Science, 2009, 7(9):31-34 Badoni and Chauhan; Effect of Growth Regulators ______________________________________________________________________________________ ______________ http://www.sciencepub.net/nature naturesciencej@gmail.com 31 Effect of Growth Regulators on Meristem-tip Development and in vitro Multiplication of Potato Cultivar ‘Kufri Himalini’ Anoop Badoni* and J. S. Chauhan** *Researcher and Young Scientist (UCOST), Seed Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Seed Science and Technology, H. N. B. Garhwal Central University, Srinagar- 246 174, Uttarakhand, India *For Correspondence: annabadoni@yahoo.co.in **Associate Professor and Head, Department of Seed Science and Technology, H. N. B. Garhwal Central University, Srinagar- 246 174, Uttarakhand, India _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract In the present study meristem tips of potato (Solanum tuberosum) were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, supplemented with different hormonal combinations i.e. MSGN1 (0.25 mg/l GA 3 and 0.01 mg/l NAA), MSGN2 (0.25 mg/l GA 3 and 0.03 mg/l NAA), MSGN3 (0.25 mg/l GA 3 and 0.04 mg/l NAA), MSKN1 (0.01 mg/l Kinetin and 0.1 mg/l NAA), MSKN2 (0.001 mg/l Kinetin and 0.1 mg/l NAA) and MSKN3 (1 mg/l Kinetin and 0.1 mg/l NAA), which affected in vitro propagation of potato. After 35-40 days of culture shoot height, number of nods, root length, shoot and root fresh weight were measured. Shoot height in M.S. medium with GA 3 and NAA combination showed better result in comparison to M.S. medium with Kinetin and NAA. Shoot height in MSGN1 combination reached 8.28 (±0.5) cm. with 11.9 (±1.1) cm. root length and 9.4 (±1.0) nodes while in MSKN1 shoot height reached 6.4 cm. (±0.6) with 8.2 (±0.5) cm. root length and 5.0 (±0.7) nods. MSKN2 and MSKN3 reached low shoot height respectively 5.3 cm. (±1.2) with 4.2 (±0.8) nods and 4.0 cm. (±0.6) with 2.7 (±0.7) nods in comparison to all combinations. MSGN2 and MSGN3 combinations reached respectively 7.15 (±0.5) cm. with 8.2 (±1.0) nodes and 6.15 (±0.6) cm. with 6.3 (±0.9) nodes. Result showed that lower concentration of auxin (0.01 mg/l NAA) with Gibberelic Acid (0.25 mg/l GA 3 ) is best for development of complete plantlets and multiplication from meristem tips. [Nature and Science, 2009;7(9):31-34] Keywords In vitro, meristem tip, Solanum tuberosum and Kufri Himalini Introduction The ICAR has identified a new hybrid variety of potato Kufri Himalini. Nearly 8% of the total area under Potato in the country lies in the hills, where potato is an important cash crop. This species is best for commercial cultivation in hilly regions. The new variety, with medium maturity of 110-120 days has been recommended for cultivation in the north- western and eastern hills during summer. It provides a yield advantage of over 10% over Kufri Jyoti and Kufri Giriraj. In the plains and its keeping quality is better then all the cultivars develop so far for hill regions (Anonymous, 2005). Micro propagation is the alternative to conventional propagation of potatoes (Chandra et al., 1994). In vitro propagation methods using meristem tips, nodal cuttings and micro tubers are more reliable for maintaining genetic integrity of the multiplied clones since de-differentiation and the subsequent organogenesis/ embryo genesis with the accompanying genetic changes have been reported (Wang and Hu, 1982). Meristem culture provides a reproducible and economically viable method for producing pathogen free plants. As meristem tips are free from viruses, elimation and generation of virus free plants are possible through meristem culture (Jha and Ghosh, 2005). Through several workers have reported the use of MS medium without hormones during proliferation stage (Aburkhes et al., 1984; Rosell et al., 1987; Gopal et al., 1980) but the growth was slow and it took 3-4 weeks to grow 30-50 high shoots (Hussey and Stacey, 1981). Improvement has been made possible by addition of growth regulators to the medium. Gas stimulated development of nodal cutting on MS but at high concentration it produce narrow and elongated shoot (Novak et al., 1980) depending on genotypes. Longest main shoot and highest node numbers are reported to be obtained in medium containing NAA and BAP (Yousef et al., 1997). Pennazio and Vecchiate (1976) used MS medium supplemented with GA and NAA for proliferating meristem tip. The main aim of this study was to see the effect of different hormonal combinations of GA 3 : NAA and Kinetin: NAA with MS medium on in vitro shoot regeneration of potato cv. Kufri Himalini using meristem tips.