Study on In vitro Seed Germination and Seedling Development of Tuberose (Agave amica Medik.)

Agave amica (Medik.) (Syn. Polianthes tuberosa L.) is commercially propagated asexually. For the diversification of the crop, seed propagation is essential hence there is a necessity to study the seed germination for hybrid development. A protocol for in vitro germination of tuberose seeds was formulated. Two types of seed were utilized for germination in which the decoated seeds showed early and higher germination percentage than the intact seeds. Seeds inoculated on the basal media composition of half MS with gibberellic acid (1 mg/l) and benzylaminopurine (1 mg/l) recorded minimum time for germination (8 days), higher germination percentage (89.33%) and minimum mean germination time (8.88 days). Seedlings growth were studied under different composition of shoot and root proliferation media. The MS media with naphthaleneacetic acid (2 mg/l) and benzylaminopurine (2 mg/l) increased root length (12.33 cm), shoot length (14.80 cm), number of roots (13.23) and number of leaves (6.25). Under in vivo condition, the seedling developed from the basal media composition of half MS with gibberellic acid (1 mg/l) and benzylaminopurine (1 mg/l) which sub cultured on MS media with naphthaleneacetic acid (2 mg/l) and benzylaminopurine (2 mg/l) showed higher survival percentage of 91.53%.