Project No. : HP-03/2003-04
Year. : 2003-04
Project Title: Micro propagation and in-vitro conservation of two endangered Medicinal Plants Inula racemosa and Nardostachys grandiflora
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Principal Investigator & Organization : Prof. N.S. Chauhan, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh-173230
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Summary of Project / Major Outcome /Achievements : Low seed viability of Inula racemosa and Nardostachys grandiflora in natural habitats followed by over exploitation have put these plants in the endangered status. To mitigate the pressure on natural population, the conservation initiatives were taken through micro-propagation of both the species to bring out from the fringe of endangered status. For conservation, axillary bud culture, callus culture, somatic embryogenesis and regeneration have been applied for rapid propagation. Inula racemosa revealed highly responding in tissue culture through axillary bub and successfully established in the field conditions, whereas, Nardostachys grandiflora proved very difficult with respect to hardening and field establishment as its plantlets need to be transferred to its natural habitat at high altitudes immediately after removal from the in-vitro conditions. The in-vitro raised shoot segments were also cryopreserved through vitrification and encapsulation.
