Author(s): Samatha Talari and Rama Swamy Nanna

Abstract: The species Oroxylum indicum (L) Kurz (Bignoniaceae) is an endangered and important medicinal forest tree possessing various secondary metabolites with potential pharmaceutical properties. The present investigation reports the callus induction from leaf and cotyledonary leaf explants of O. indicum. The leaf and cotyledonary leaf explants were cultured on MS medium containing 30g/L sucrose supplemented with various types of auxins viz., IAA/IBA/NAA/2, 4-D to evaluate the efficiency of auxins for inducing the callus in O. indicum. Among the various auxins used for the present study, IBA and 2, 4-D were found to be potent for callus proliferation followed by IAA/NAA. Proliferation of callus was faster and very high yield of callusing mass was achieved within 4 weeks on IBA/2, 4-D followed by IAA/NAA. Among the explants tested cotyledonary leaf explants were highly efficient for inducing the callus production in O. indicum. Since, it is medicinally important and endangered species; the pharmaceutically valuable compounds can be isolated by using callus cultures throughout the year.