A comparative biochemical evaluation of in vivo and in vitro propagated Alhagi maurorum: an important medicinal plant

Medicinal plants are of great interest in the field of biotechnology as most of the drug industries depend in part on plants for production of pharmaceutical compounds. Biological activities of the phyoconstituents in plants could be enhanced by manipulation of the culture conditions. In the present investigation leaves and nodal segments of Alhagi maurorum were cultured on MS medium with BAP, Kinetin, NAA and other adjuvants. MS medium with BAP (1.0 and 2.0 mg/l) alone and in combination with NAA (0.1 mg/l was good for initiation of calli and bud formation. BAP (2.0 and 5.0mg/l) with NAA(0.1mg/l) plus kinetin 0.25mg/l with ascorbic acid 50mg/l and adenine sulphate, citric acid and arginine 25mg/l each was found to be the best for bud proliferation and shoot multiplication. Best rooting was found on MS medium supplemented with IAA and IBA (0.5mg/ leach). Cultured materials at different growth phase were evaluated for their biochemical estimation of primary metabolites quantitatively. Maximum content of carbohydrates, total proteins and amino acids were noticed in leaves of field grown plants and shoots of regenerated plantlets. It is further concluded that Alhagi maurorum serve as a rich source of primary metabolites which can be used as raw materials in industry.