PJB-2025-1527
Micropropagation of Aloe jucunda L. (Asphodelaceae) – a medicinal and ornamental plant
Huma Rao, Saifullah Khan, Saima Saleem Ansari and Zarreen Badar
Abstract
Aloe jucunda L. is a valuable medicinal and ornamental plant of the family Asphodelaceae. The way Aloes have been known and used; specific threats are there across the genus. Aloe jucunda is a narrow endemic to Northern Somalia. However, it is fairly common in cultivation. It contains lignin, which has therapeutic qualities such as antioxidant and antibacterial activity, used to treat wounds, burns and digestive problems. In its native area of Northern Somalia, is excessively grazed by cattle, also ruthlessly chopped for wood and charcoal burning, are major threats to this plant. A. jucunda is enlisted as endangered plant in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). However, A. jucunda is cultivated in various countries for its horticultural and to some extent medicinal importance also, therefore, the present study was undertaken. The primary objective of this study was to design a reliable, large-scale micropropagation methodology for developing whole plantlets of A. jucunda. A good quality callus was established by culturing stem nodal explants in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L BAP (6-Benzyl Aminopurine) and 3.0 mg/L NAA (α-naphthaleneacetic acid). After four weeks, the proliferated calli were transferred to the multiplication medium. Within 14-25 days, highest (mean 7.6 ± 1.5) mean number of shoots and (3.2 ± 0.7) mean length of shoots were observed with 2 mg/L BAP (6-Benzyl Aminopurine) and 0.1 mg/L IBA (Indole-3-Butyric Acid). While only one shoot was observed in the control media. Shoots rooted successfully when 0.5 mg/L of IBA was supplemented and resulted in higher number of roots, (10.3 ± 1.5) and length (3.7 ± 1.1cm), within 14-20 days. It was observed that growth hormones played a significant role in the development of the plant at different growth stages. Consequently, this In vitro propagation protocol could be applied to conserve critically endangered and threatened A. jucunda from extinction
To Cite this article:
Rao, H., S. Khan, S.S. Ansari and Z. Badar. 2025. Micropropagation of Aloe jucunda L. (Asphodelaceae) – a medicinal and ornamental plant. Pak. J. Bot., 57(3): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2025-3(28)
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