Establishment of tissue culture of Aquilaria malaccensis(GAHARU)

Abstract

Aquilaria malaccensis whose resinous portion is called agarwood is very useful in medicine and incense. Worldwide trading of agarwood is facing a serious shortage of resources because of its chaotic collection in forests and the decrease in the tropical rain forest area. The effects of plant growth regulators on callus and shoot induction on A. malaccensis were evaluated. Leaf of A. malaccensis were used as explants to determine effects of various auxins (Picloram, 2,4-D, IBA, NAA) with the concentrations of 1-3mg/L and a combination of auxin with cytokinin (IBA with BAP and NAA with BAP) in various concentrations on MS medium. Shoot were used as explants to determine the effects of BAP (0.03-1.2 mg/L) for shoot induction. The results showed that medium supplemented with 3mg/L IBA produce the higher frequency of calli (80%). The four auxin with cytokinin combination of 0.5mg/L NAA with l mg/L BAP, l mg/L NAA with 2mg/L BAP, 2mg/L IBA with 2mg/L BAP, and 3mg/L IBA with 2mg/L BAP showed the higher callus induction (100%) and yielded bigger calli compared to other combinations. The calli of four combination of auxin with cytokinin with high callus percentage was subcultured after 2 weeks on the same medium to measure the callus weight (fresh weight) for 27 days to observe the callus growth. A. malaccensis callus growth on MS medium supplemented with l mg/L NAA with 2mg/L BAP was superior (4.438g) to other media examined. Shoot induction was higher on MS medium supplemented with 0.3mg/L BAP (83%). The induction and growth of calli and shoot induction for A. malaccensis is dependent on type and combination of hormone used.