Survival and Callus Induction in In vitro Cultured Tissues of Cola nitida (Malvales: Sterculiaceae)

Abstract

The micropropagation of Cola nitida (Vent.) Schott and Endlicher (Kola) by means of tissue culture was investigated to provide baseline information on the requirements for the survival and callus induction from kola tissues in vitro.  The use of modified Murashige and Skoog (1962) (MS) medium (without Zn Cu eleements) as basal medium was found to be as appropriate as the unmodified MS medium, for explant's survival.  The appropriate antioxidant technique was also established with 10mgl-1 ascorbic acid.  Callus was induced successfully from cut surfaces (periphery) of young leaves in vitro on the medium supplemented with 0.5-5.0 mgl-1 naphtheneacetic acid (NAA), combined with 0.23 mgl-1 6-benzyl-aminopurine (BAP) and on medium supplemented with 0.2-0.6 mgl-1 BAP, combined with 1.0 mgl-1 NAA.  Successful callus induction was also obtained from the buds of single nodal explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with 0.1-1.0 mgl-1 NAA, combined with 2.3 mgl-1 BAP.